


I think you’re pretty

by wiggler



Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Bands, Camping, Canon Compliant, Caught in the Rain, F/F, Festivals, Firsts, Getting Together, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Love Confessions, Mostly Fluff, Romance, Sharing a Bed, Sleepovers, Storms, Teenage Awkwardness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:08:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 34,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25834024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wiggler/pseuds/wiggler
Summary: Sayo never found anything particularly memorable about Lisa. She was her band-mate, and that was the end of it. However, thanks to a fated storm, it may not be that simple. Sayo had wanted to keep her crush a secret until it went away; the universe had other plans.*ON HIATUS, WILL BE BACK THOUGH*
Relationships: Hikawa Sayo/Imai Lisa, Ichigaya Arisa & Toyama Kasumi
Comments: 72
Kudos: 227





	1. The storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A storm occurs.

Ako screamed as thunder boomed from the sky. The drummer dashed towards Rinko like a mouse and held her tightly. Rinko stood dead in her tracks, unsure of what to do. The other members stared at the two.

“Rin-rin, protect me!” Ako shouted as she wrung the pianist like a towel.

Rinko stared at her doe-eyed. “Ako-chan, I’m surprised you don’t like storms.” She did her best to straighten her back as Ako continued to squeeze her torso. “I thought you would enjoy them…”

Ako shut her eyes as she shook her head. “Nuh-uh, no way! They’re so scary!”

Sayo eyed Ako. “Udagawa-san,” she began, “we are in the middle of practice. This is inappropriate.”

“I agree with Sayo,” Yukina chimed in as she crossed her arms. She tapped her foot as she gazed at Ako. “We cannot waste time during these rehearsals. We have less than a month to perfect our performance for the Summer Festival down-town. We cannot be unprepared. You do understand that right?

“Yeah,” Ako squirmed underneath the vocalist’s gaze, “Yeah, I understand... but!” Ako pointed outside the window at the dark cloud rolling into view. “I really hate storms… and one’s definitely coming, we need to evacuate!”

“Evacuation may be a bit unnecessary, but,” Rinko murmured to herself, “the forecast did call for a heavy downpour…” She turned to Yukina as she wrapped her arms around the drummer stuck at her waist. “Yukina-san, do… do you think we can end rehearsal,” her voice went quiet at the end, “early today?”

Lisa fiddled with her bass strings, “I don’t think it’d hurt if we ended rehearsal early too.” She looked up at Yukina. “Besides, you know we’re always ready by performance day anyways, Yukina. We can even do a make-up session this weekend if you want!” She pouted, “C’mon, Yukina, we don't have school tomorrow anyways~.”

Yukina sighed, “Since we’ve already lost our focus I suppose we could-”

“I completely disagree with Imai-san,” Sayo interrupted as she pursed her lips together. “It would be irresponsible to end rehearsal early, regardless if we could reschedule.” _Imai-san, you know that is a poor decision,_ Sayo thought. As if on cue, another rumble of thunder rang throughout the practice-space. Ako released another yell.

“Please, please, _please_ let us go home Yukina-san…” Ako trembled. “I can’t focus when we’re all about to die!” Rinko gave an encouraging rub on her shoulder in an attempt to soothe her. Sayo, however, didn’t budge.

“We’re not going to die,” Sayo replied matter-of-factly. She didn’t lessen up her grip on her guitar, “We can just practice until the storm ends. We don’t waste a rehearsal and we also avoid the storm, simple solution.” However, Lisa disagreed.

“C’mon Sayo~,” Lisa teased. “You know that this rehearsal is too far gone,” she added, “we can just reschedule, easy as pie!”

“It’s illogical, we can just work through the storm.”

“You know that can’t happen anymore, Sayo. Ako’s super shaken up, see!” Lisa gestured towards the shaking drummer, who of which was still attached to Rinko. “Think about the psychological consequences this will have on the poor girl!”

“You have to be joking, Imai-san. That’s absolutely absurd. Please take this conversation seriously.”

“I am, I’m taking it _super_ seriously!”

Yukina's motivation to continue with the rehearsal was draining quickly. As Sayo and Lisa were busy arguing with each other, she crouched down and began packing up her music and her supplies. Once she had finished, she gestured to Ako and Rinko to pack up their belongings as well. The two stared at her oddly, not understanding what she meant. "Pack your things," she whispered. She then turned around and slipped out of the practice-room silently, wishing them a safe trip home under her breath. Ako sprinted to her and Rinko’s belongings and picked them up in one swoop.

Ako did her best to whisper. “Rinko, come on!”

“Are you sure we should leave them like this?” the pianist questioned as she side-eyed Sayo and Lisa, who were both still caught up in each other. “They’re… they’re going to get caught in the storm, shouldn’t we let them know we’re leaving?”

Ako dashed out of the practice-room. “Every woman for herself!”

Rinko was left with no choice but to follow, as she knew Udagawa-san couldn’t make it three steps with the looming storm that was about to let loose. “Please be more cautious Ako-chan, you’ll trip running that fast!” She left the practice-room, quickly trailing the terrified Ako.

Somehow, Sayo and Lisa were still in a heated discussion. “For the love of christ, Sayo,” Lisa whined, “let’s just _leave_ already! I feel like I’m just repeating myself.” However, Sayo didn’t respond. Lisa tilted her head, “Is something wrong, Sayo?”

“Everyone else left.”

Lisa looked around quizzically, and surprisingly enough, only she and Sayo remained in the practice-room. _Were we really that focused on each other? I can’t believe they just left us like this…_ A flash of lightning stained the room in a sharp bright glow before fading. Lisa flinched. “Please let there be enough time for me to head…” A droplet hit against the window. Then another, and another. She trailed off as a heavy downpour began, “home…" She frowned, "I live so far away, I’m gonna get completely soaked.” Lisa sulked as she began to collect her things. “I can’t believe Yukina would leave me like this…”

-

Guitar-case on back, Sayo stared at the rain from under the protection of the partition in front of CiRCLE. The rain pounded down relentlessly as water bathed the streets. Another round of thunder boomed. _If I left now I would get completely soaked…_ She felt her phone vibrate within her pocket as she was about to set out on her way home. Sayo pulled out her phone and checked it, she had received a message from Hina.

-

**HINA**   
_Friday 4:48pm_

**Hina:**  
are you okay sis!?!? it's storming super hard right now!! how are you gonna get back??

**Sayo:**  
I appreciate your concern Hina, but I will be fine. Please have a towel ready for me when I get home. I will need to dry.

**Hina:**

you got it :) !! it’ll be right by the door when you enter, stay safe!!!

**Sayo:**  
Thank you.

-

“Sayo!” Lisa shouted from behind her, carrying her bass on her back. She jogged up next to Sayo and peered at the heavy rain. “It’s storming pretty hard, isn’t it?” Sayo could hear hesitance - maybe fear? - in her voice. _She did say she lives far away, so it's understandable._

“It is,” Sayo said blankly. She watched Lisa frown. “You said you lived far away before, correct?”

“Yeah, I do. I’m gonna get soaked to the core…” Lisa mumbled something about how her hair would get ruined. That would be bad, her hair is pretty.

Sayo fiddled with the hem of her skirt. _Should I be courteous and extend an olive branch? But I do have to practice my guitar, I shouldn't._ Lisa looked like she would rather be anywhere else. Sayo felt bad. _I guess... I could practice my guitar tomorrow. Imai-san is my band-mate after all._ “Imai-san, would you like to come over to my home? You may stay until the storm passes if that is alright with you.”

Lisa looked surprised. “Are you sure?” She twiddled a strand of her hair, “I appreciate it but I wouldn’t want to interrupt-”

“It is fine,” Sayo says blankly. “We are band-mates, after all.”

“And also friends!”

“Yeah,” Sayo replied. _Of course, friends._ Sayo felt something in her heart ache, although she didn't know what. “Are you ready to go, Imai-san?”

Lisa nodded as she stepped directly into the downpour. Her brown hair began to dampen, then soak along with her school uniform. “Imai-san,” Sayo remarked in awe, “what are you doing?” _Lisa still looks pretty when wet, I'm not surprised. She always looks pretty._

All Lisa does in reply is reach out a hand to Sayo with a mischievous grin. “Are you ready to run? We’re gonna get soaked,” she giggled.

The rain had begun to wipe away Lisa’s make-up. _She’s still pretty_ , the guitarist thought as she stared. “Sayo,” she clicked her tongue, “we don’t have all day and I’m not just standing here for fun~.” It’s hard to hear Lisa over the rain. The rain doesn't seem even close to letting up anytime soon.

Sayo grabbed her hand and Lisa pulled her into the onslaught of rain. Sayo sulked with each soggy step as the rain soaked through her body from top to bottom. She had to be careful to keep her phone dry. “I’m wet,” Sayo blanked. “I don’t like being wet.”

“At least you’re still super cute!” Lisa teased as she began to drag Sayo by her hand. “We gotta start moving, which way’s your house?”

“Follow me,” Sayo replied. She began to run, dragging Lisa behind her. They were both smiling as they ran, Lisa was even laughing. Sayo found Lisa's laugh soothing to the point she was no longer scared of being wet. Lisa always helped the band grow. After all, she was the glue that held Roselia together. Sayo admired that about her.

_Even in the cold rain, her hand is warm. I like it._

_-_

Sayo and Lisa ran up to the door of the Hikawa household. The rain was still pounding down, traveling through the house’s gutters. The streetlights gave the streets a dim yellow glow. Sayo slammed the door as Lisa stood by. “Hina!” she shouted, “Let us in!” They were both wet to their core. Sayo internally prayed for a relaxing, hot shower. The hitch of the door opening broke Sayo from her thoughts, her sister stood in the door-frame.

“Come inside, quickly!” Hina ushered. The wet teenagers rushed inside and stood still on the welcome mat inside, not wanting to make the floor wet. The younger twin frowned, “You’re both super, super wet…” she turned to Lisa, “I didn’t know you were bringing Lisacchi home with you too! I didn’t know you moved that fast, onee-chan, I always took you as a more modest type~.”

“Don’t say such ridiculous things, stupid,” Sayo scowled as her cheeks grew red. “Give me the towel and go get a towel for Imai-san please.”

Hina nodded with a sigh and handed her sister a towel. She then dashed away to fetch another. Sayo dried herself as she and Lisa stood side-by-side in silence. “Well,” Lisa broke the silence, “I appreciate you letting me stay till the storm passes.” Sayo gave her a nod as a reply, not wanting to repeat herself. It _was_ fine to Sayo, it was simply helping a band-mate. She doesn’t even remember the last time she had someone over anyways - she mainly focused on her studies and her music, which left little time for developing friendships. There was no reason for her to change anything about that. When Sayo looked back at Lisa, the bassist was scrolling through her phone. “Eh, Sayo,” Lisa remarked, “it says it’s supposed to keep raining super hard until tomorrow morning.”

Before Sayo could reply, Hina came back with another towel. She threw it directly to Lisa, who began to dry. “Here ya go! And Lisacchi is right! - it’s supposed to rain like cats and dogs until tomorrow morning!” She raised a hand to her chin, “there’s like, _no way_ she can go back on her own. The storm’ll eat her up whole!”

Sayo pinched the bridge of her nose. “Please do not say such ludicrous things Hina.” The older twin sighed as she turned around, grabbing Lisa’s wrist and dragging her down the hall to her room.

“E-Eh, Sayo…?” she questioned, “What are you doing?”

“I am taking you to my room to find you a pair of pyjamas to wear.”

“Wait, why!?”

Sayo looked Lisa directly in the eye, “You will be staying the night I assume? There’s no way you can head home with the current weather outside. Besides, our parents aren't home. They will be returning tomorrow afternoon.”

Lisa looked at the ground dejectedly. She truthfully didn’t want to head home at this point, but she didn’t want to overbear on the twins. “Are you sure? I can just head home-”

“Nonsense,” Sayo interrupted her. “Come with me to my bedroom. I will get you a pair of pyjamas. I couldn’t sleep well tonight knowing you would be outside in the storm.”

Lisa grinned, “Thank you Sayo~. You’re a lifesaver, I definitely owe you one.”

Downstairs Hina giggled to herself, her sister was never quite smart with these kinds of things.

-

Sayo sat on her bed with her pyjamas folded in her lap. Lisa was using the bathroom to change first. _I can’t believe Imai-san is staying the night_ , Sayo thought. _I can’t believe that I will see Imai-san wearing a pair of my own pyjamas,_ her cheeks flushed. She will definitely look nice in them.

She hadn’t caught on to the nature of the things she was thinking by the time Lisa emerged from the bathroom. Sayo turned her head to see, and when she did, the air got caught in her throat. Lisa twirled around like a model, donning a loose purple shirt and black shorts. “So~?” Lisa purred. “Does it look okay? We’re around the same size in clothing anyways…”

_Yes you look so good._

Sayo tried to block the rising blush on her cheeks with her hands. “Yes…” she sputtered, “Yes, you look very nice Imai-san. I think you’re pretty.”

Lisa giggled as her face glowed red, “Hehe, well thanks Sayo.” She gestured toward the bathroom, “You can change now if you’d like!”

Sayo sputtered a thank you as she paced into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She slid down onto the floor in shame - her cheeks were still on fire. She buried her head into the pyjamas in her arms. _Why… why can’t I get that image of Lisa out of my head?_ All Sayo can think of was the way that her shorts hugged Lisa’s thighs and the way her shirt curved around Lisa’s…

_Oh god._

“Sayo?” Lisa asked from the other side of the door. “I heard a weird rumble, is everything okay in there?”

Sayo could only mumble a timid, “I'm fine...” She stood up and looked at herself in the mirror: she was a mess. Her hair was tangled and her cheeks were dyed red. _I can’t believe it, I really, really can’t believe it…_ Sayo breathed out. “Do I like Lisa?” Her heart swelled the moment she said the question out loud. Sayo then realized at that moment, with the thumping in her chest, that her feelings towards her band-mate may not be as platonic as she thought.

_Any man would be lucky to date Lisa_ , Sayo noted. _She’s intelligent, hardworking, kind... but she is a girl. I must stop feeling like this, it isn't right._ Sayo removed her clothing piece by piece. _I will get over it_ soon, she thought. Then she pulled a blue shirt over her shoulders and dark sweatpants up to her waist in a way that made her feel like she was hiding a part of herself, like a violet in the night.

_It's just late, and I need to sleep. That's all._


	2. The sleep over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisa sleeps over.

Sayo returned to her bedroom, where Lisa was. The brunette was on her bed, mindlessly scrolling through her phone. “Hello Imai-san,” Sayo said. _Nothing has changed. Nothing will change._ “What are you doing?”

Lisa looked up. Her face was aglow by the light of her phone screen. “Just texting Yukina, she was worried if I made it home safely.” She continued, “I told her I was staying over at your place.”

Sayo sat next to her, surrounded by a sea of stuffed animals she _probably_ should’ve hidden away when Lisa was changing. “I see,” Sayo stated. She laid down on her stomach next to Lisa. Sayo can’t help but blush within such close proximity to her, their arms were practically touching. She chose to avoid Lisa’s gaze by staring intensely at the flower pattern on her comforter. 

Lightning flashed outside followed by another round of thunder. Lisa touched her shoulder to Sayo’s, which totally didn’t send a chill down her spine. “That didn’t spook you, Sayo?”

“I am fine,” Sayo mumbled. She was lucky it was dark or her pale face would have given away her lie. “Are you hungry by chance, Imai-san?” Sayo said as she searched for a way to give her heart a break. “I can go fetch some snacks if you would like.”

“If it’s not too much trouble, that would be great, Sayo~,” Lisa winked at Sayo, which nearly knocked her down where she was standing. Sayo gave a flushed nod and quickly left the room. She walked down the dark hallway to the dimly-lit kitchen. Hina was at the kitchen table doing homework. Hina noticed Sayo enter, who made a beeline to the pantry to avoid questioning by her sister. However, luck was not on her side.

Hina gave a wide grin. “So~,” she teased, “how’s it going with Lisacchi, onee-chan?”

“Fine,” she replied, keeping her eyes on the bag of chips in front of her. She picked the bag up and closed the pantry. “I will be going back to my room. I just came to get snacks for Imai-san. It is the least I could do to her.”

Hina’s eyes sharpened as she teased, “Onee-chan, _what are you doing to Lisacchi_? Keep in mind, these walls are thinner than they seem so you better keep it down~.”

“You know what I meant,” Sayo mumbled as her cheeks turned red. _Why did I say that_? “I just tripped over my words, it could happen to anyone.”

“ _Sure_ ,” Hina rolled her eyes teasingly. “Don’t take too long, she must be getting hungry.”

“Of course,” Sayo replied cooly. She walked down the hallway back to her bedroom where Lisa was. “Good night, Hina,” Sayo said as she closed the door behind her.

“Good night, onee-chan!” 

-

“So,” Lisa chimed as she grabbed a chip, “what’s the gossip, Sayo?”

The two sat across from each-other on Sayo’s bed, surrounded by blankets and stuffed animals. Sayo held a plush cat in her arms, fiddling with its arms. She remembered naming it Momo when she was younger. Meanwhile, Lisa was wrapped in a purple blanket. Her phone was propped up against the bag of chips between them, providing light by its flashlight. The room was completely dark otherwise, only lit up by the occasional strike of lightning.

“Gossip?” Sayo questioned, “I’m afraid I don’t understand what you are asking.”

“Ah, come on Sayo~,” she groaned. “Girls do this all the time at sleepovers!” She brushed a piece of hair out of her face. “How about I start, okay?”

Sayo looked down, “Alright then.”

Lisa began rambling, but Sayo tuned out. The only thing she could pay attention to was how Lisa’s lips moved with each remark. Despite the fact the majority of her make-up was washed away from the rain, Sayo could still notice the slight tint of cherry lip-gloss on her soft lips. Her train of thought was broken when Lisa tapped her arm.

“Earth to Sayo~,” Lisa teased. “You’re staring at my face all weird, I don’t have any food on it do I?”

“You do not, my apologies,” Sayo replied with a blank face. Internally though, her body was burning with embarrassment and self-loathing. _Why was I staring? Why did I let myself get caught, carried away_? She held tears back. _It was stupid of me._

Lisa picked up on this. She was always an empath. “Sayo,” she began, “is something up? You seem kinda off.”

“I am fine.”

She grabbed another chip. “You sure? You don’t always have to be.” She held the blanket around her. “I’m good at this kind of thing you know, you can trust me~.”

_No, I can’t. But I want to._

_“_ I am honestly fine,” Sayo replied, gripping the plush cat harder. “I appreciate your concern though, Imai-san.”

“If you’re sure then,” Lisa said. “Anyways,” she laid down, still wrapped up in a blanket. “I’m gonna get some sleep, it’s getting pretty late.” 

“If you are about to sleep, then I will go brush my teeth,” Sayo added as she stood up from the bed. “Would you like me to grab you a pillow before I go? That position doesn’t look very comfortable.”

“Nah, I’m good! Sleep well Sayo~.”

“Very well, then,” the guitarist nodded as she stood up from the bed. She tip-toed across her bedroom and slipped into the bathroom. She walked to the tap, turned it on, and splashed some cold water on her face. _Stop it Sayo. Just stop it._

_-_

Once Sayo had finished getting ready for bed in the bathroom, she opened the door back to her bedroom and shut off the bathroom light. Sayo did her best to feel her way back to her bed. Fortunately enough, she found it with no issue. She quietly laid down on her bed and covered herself with one of her blankets. She rested her head on her pillow. 

As Sayo’s eyes adjusted to the dark, she could see Lisa’s frame right in front of her. She squinted at Lisa’s face. She was gifted with good looks, it wasn’t fair to people like Sayo. The guitarist noted the subtle rise and fall of Lisa’s chest. _She is asleep_ , Sayo noted. _Definitely asleep._ Sayo leaned forward and planted a kiss to Lisa’s forehead. “Good night, Lisa.”

-

Hina noticed the clock on the kitchen turn to the next hour. She shovelled a spoon of cereal into her mouth. “It’s almost eleven in the morning,” she sighed. She tapped her fingers against the table, “Onee-chan’s normally an early riser, I wonder if something’s wrong…” She finished up her cereal and marched down to Sayo’s room. “As her sister, it is my duty to protect her!”

Hina wrapped her hand on the doorknob and quietly pushed it down, opening the door. She whispered, “Sayo? Lisacchi? Are you two... _oh_."

Hina stared at her sister, who was somehow wrapped within Lisa’s blanket. It was as if the two were in a blanket cocoon. “This is priceless,” she giggled. Hina dashed back to the kitchen as fast as she could to grab her phone. “I _so_ have to take a photo of this~.” 

-

Sayo was warm when she woke up - actually, sweltering. She only remembered using a single blanket the night before, why was she so hot? However, she could tell that morning had come. Preparing to begin her day, she opened her eyes. She had expected to see Lisa on the other side of her bed, however, her face was only mere inches away from her own. Sayo’s mind stalled. No answers came to the questions in her head as she lay there. As all thinking in her head stopped, she basked in Lisa’s light.

“Pst, onee-chan!” Sayo heard from the entrance of the room. She turned her head, careful not to wake Lisa. Hina came into her gaze, head poking through the open door. She felt every morsel in her body melt in embarrassment. Hina was grinning. “Meet me in the kitchen when you’re ready,” she emphasized the end of her sentence, “ _I have something to show you~.”_

Sayo was done for. Is this the end for her? Could she ever look at Hina in the eyes again? She sighed and made careful to not disturb Lisa’s sleep as she removed herself from their cocoon. She would be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy it, her sentiments actually held the opposite. Sayo’s eyes trailed over Lisa’s lips, of which were slightly agape. It was actually a great sleep. Sayo removed a robe from the back of her door and wrapped it around her. She left her bedroom and walked cautiously down the hallway into the kitchen. Sayo noticed Hina, who was sitting at the kitchen table. On the opposite end of the table was a bowl of cereal, spoon beside it. “Hina,” Sayo questioned, “what is this?”

Hina turned her gaze to Sayo. “Yay, you’re up onee-chan! That’s your breakfast.”

Sayo did a double-take. “My breakfast?”

Her sister nodded. “Yep!” Her eyes went dark with mischief. “You’re gonna need it,” she gestured to the empty seat beside her. “Take a seat!”

Sayo gulped as she took a seat. “So,” she dipped her spoon into the milk. She did a deep inhale and then sighed. “How,” her eyes stay low, “how much did you see?”

Hina pulled out her phone. “Well…” She opened her photo gallery and swiped twice before shoving her phone into Sayo’s face. “I saw this~.”

“Hina,” Sayo deadpanned, “that is a photo of you and Maruyama-san.”

Hina frowned, “Oh really? Darn.” She swiped one more time and showed Sayo her phone-screen. “ _This_ is what I saw.”

Sayo’s stomach flipped when she saw the photo. The photo was of her and Lisa wrapped up in the blanket, they were basically snuggling. Lisa’s pale complexion glowed with the sun and her hair looked like a sea of caramel. She managed to look princess-like even in the morning. Sayo felt her heart swell.

Hina sighed, “Yep, I knew it. You’re in way too deep.”

“Deep?” Sayo sputtered. “I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Sorry to break it to ya onee-chan,” she said, “but I’ve, like, _never_ seen you look at a dude like that before.” She looked away. “To be honest, you only look at your guitar like that, which is… well,” she sighed, “kinda depressing.”

Sayo tried to find a way out of the conversation, knowing she would rather be anywhere else than in this kitchen with Hina. “I don’t understand what you mean, I am asleep in the photo..?”

“I’m not talking about the photo, silly! I saw the way you were staring at my phone-screen~.” Hina smirked, “You were staring at the photo with like the biggest heart eyes I’ve ever seen!”

Sayo wished she could die right there. She sunk lower into her seat. “You are, you are mistaken…”

“Nah, I’m never really wrong about these things,” Hina replied. “So? Do ya?”

“Do I what?”

Hina smirked, “Do you have a crush on Lisacchi?” 

Sayo shrivelled to the bottom of her seat, not wanting to admit this to _Hina_ out of all people. She stared at her cereal, sitting still - almost as if she’d fade away if she moved. She knew that Hina was too perceptive to lie her way out, not to mention she was a terrible liar in the first place. Sayo just wanted to go to the bathroom and cry. Not knowing how to respond, she continued staring at her cereal while tears rushed to her eyes. Sayo felt a tear slip, followed by another. What started out as a cry turned into a sob as she slowly nodded. She held a hand over her mouth to limit any sounds she’d make. Why couldn’t Hina ever leave her alone? “Ah, onee-chan!” Hina pouted. It was out of character for her sister to be this transparent with her emotions. “Please don’t cry!”

Sayo’s held her face between her arms on the kitchen table. She was exposed. “Why,” she mumbled, “can’t you ever mind your own business?”

Hina brushed her hand through Sayo’s hair. “It’s okay, onee-chan.” She took a deep breath. “It’s totally fine! You can like whoever you want, it’s all okay by Hina!”

“No, I can’t.”

Hina’s face went neutral. “Onee-chan,” she began, “you know you’re one of my favourite people in the world, right?”

“What?”

Hina exhaled with a smile. “I couldn’t ever spend enough time with you, and I still can't now. If you think who you like changes my opinion of you, you’re just wrong, onee-chan.”

At this point, Sayo felt like a baby. Hina only did what she thought was best for her. “Please don’t tell our parents,” she murmured.

“Of course,” Hina replied. “They aren’t exactly the most modern people around-”

A voice echoed from down the hallway. “Hey, guys! I can’t believe I woke up this late~.” Sayo turned her head to see who it was. Sayo stared at Lisa as her heart flipped. She had never seen Lisa this early in the morning before, she was adorable. “Did I miss something? You’re both giving off some weird vibes…”

Sayo kept her head down, so Hina took the cue. “Don’t worry, nothing happened! Sayo’s just not a morning person,” she pouted.

Lisa giggled. It was like bells in Sayo’s ears. “In that case, I’m gonna go grab my things and then I’ll get going.” She walked over to Sayo and gave her a hug, “Thanks for letting me stay over again, Sayo~. Remember, I owe you one!”

Sayo mumbled something along the lines of agreement. Lisa turned around and headed for Sayo’s room. Hina rubbed Sayo’s shoulder to comfort her. “Dang, if I were you I’d be down for the count~.” Sayo continued holding her blushing face in her arms.

What was she supposed to do now? She was fortunate she and Lisa went to different schools, but they met up to rehearse multiple times a week. She knew she would have to face her again eventually. Hina spoke up again while Sayo slumped. “So, when are you gonna tell her?”

Sayo almost laughed. “You think I’m going to tell her?” She frowned, “I’m going to keep it a secret until my feelings are gone.”

“That’s no good!” Hina replied. She stood up and brought Sayo’s bowl to the sink. “You’re just gonna be more sad.”

“I am fine with that. As long as Lisa never finds out.” Sayo looked away. “I don’t want anything to change.”

Hina knew it was out of her jurisdiction to tell Sayo what to do with her feelings. She knew she had to give her sister time. “Fine,” she pouted. “I’m gonna go watch some TV.” She walked to her sister and poked her shoulder before heading to the couch. “Thanks for telling me onee-chan, I promise I won’t tell.”

”Thank you,” Sayo said. 

“Love you, onee-chan!”

”I love you too, Hina.”


	3. The rehearsal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sayo continues on with her life.

Monday came, and the next day at school was normal for Sayo. Her classes went by with ease, aided by the fact she had at least one familiar face in each class. She sat next to Rinko during science. Although the two were never extraordinarily close, the two were able to coexist in comfortable silence. Sayo turned her eyes toward the clock. It was only one more minute until lunch. She felt her stomach grumble. To Sayo's relief, the bell rang and everyone stood up, ready to go find their friends. “Hikawa-san,” Rinko mumbled from her desk, “would it be okay if we ate lunch together today?” She looked to the ground. “I have something I’d like to talk to you about.”

Sayo was intrigued. What did Rinko want to discuss? “Very well, then. I will drop my things off and I will meet you back here in a few minutes.”

“Alright, I will do the same.” Rinko looked relieved. “Thank you, Hikawa-san.”

“There is no need.” They went their separate ways.

-

Sayo sat at her desk and held her lunch in her hands. What did Rinko want to discuss? _Maybe Something related to the student council_? “Hikawa-san,” she heard to her right. She turned her head. “Are... you ready to go?” Rinko asked, bento box in hand.

Sayo nodded. “Very well.” The two walked out of the classroom. “Where did you want to eat?”

“We could eat in the courtyard,” Rinko said hesitantly. “If… if it is alright with you…”

Sayo kept a neutral expression. “It is fine.” They walked in comfortable silence all the way to the courtyard, passing by numerous classrooms on their way. Once they arrived, they knelt down and began eating. “Shirokane-san,” Sayo picked up a piece of candy, “what is it that you wanted to discuss with me?”

“Oh…” Rinko murmured. “That is…” Sayo stared at her unamused. She felt her patience drain. “Well…”

“Just spit it out, please.”

“You promise you won’t freak out?” _Why would she freak out_?

Sayo sighed, “I won’t freak out.”

Rinko sighed in relief. She pulled out her phone and tapped furiously. With one last swipe, the pianist passed her phone to Sayo. “Please read it…”

“Shirokane-san, this is a photo of you and Udagawa-san.”

Rinko snatched the phone out of her hand, mumbling an apology. With two more taps and a swipe, she returned the phone to Sayo. “My mistake…”

Sayo looked at her phone. She could tell this was Rinko’s chat history. _Why does she want me to see this_? “Please read it Hikawa-san,” Rinko reminded her. _Alright then._ Sayo looked at who the messages were between. **Lisa** shone brightly at the top. The messages were from the night Lisa slept over. Her stomach churned. What happened between Lisa and Rinko - and more importantly - why did Sayo have to know?

-

**LISA**

_Saturday 12:02am_

**Lisa:**

rinkorinkorinko are you there???? you normally stay up playing nfo right??

**Rinko:**

Mhm! Imai-san, is everything okay? <(*3*)>

**Lisa:**

no comppletey NOT eveyrhitng is NOT good!!!!

**Rinko:**

Typos… and you aren’t making any sense :<

**Lisa:**

Kk… ok… you know how im staying at sayos right?

**Rinko:**

Yes, Yukina-san told me. :3

**Lisa:**

so just a little bit ago i told sayo i was gonna get some sleep, so she went to the washroom to brush her teeth and whatever~

**Rinko:**

I’m following so far! :))

**Lisa:**

i wanted to scare her (in a totally harmless, friendly way) by pretending to be asleep. once she fell asleep i was gonna pounce and scare her!

**Rinko:**

That's a bit mean :0 but yeah? What happened?

 **Lisa:** **  
** she kissed my forehead and called me by my first name. so im kinda freaking OUT

**Rinko:**

????? are you sure you’re not mistaken??

**Lisa:**

theres no way im wrong. totally no way. idk what to do.

-

Rinko took the phone from her hands. Sayo looked calm on the outside, but internally, she was panicking. _She knows. Lisa knows. I am so done for_. “Hikawa-san,” Rinko mumbled, fumbling with her hands, “you know I… am not the best when it comes to things like this. I don’t want to sound confrontational or place pressure on you…” She gulped. "But... is something going on between you and Imai-san?”

Sayo choked on her candy. “I-I,” she coughed, “there is nothing you need to concern yourself with.” She stared down at the grass. She wished it was spring so there were flowers - now it’s just plain grass. Once again, Sayo was exposed.

“I apologize,” Rinko began, “but I don’t believe you.” _This is a new side of Rinko_ , Sayo thought. _I didn’t think she would have the confidence to disagree with me so blatantly._ “I care about you both… Roselia, a lot. You know that.” She met Sayo’s eyes. “I want the best for you two, so I want you to be honest.”

Sayo sighed. She was warm with embarrassment. “What,” Sayo began, “do you think about me and Imai-san?”

Rinko tilted her head. “What do I think about you two?” She continued, “I… would say you two balance each other out. You are very strict.” Rinko noticed Sayo’s glare. “Not… that it is a bad thing. Lisa is very laid back - you two complement each other.”

“Do you mean that?”

She smiled. “Of course I do, Hikawa-san. I believe you two are a good match.” She looked up, the shade of a nearby tree blended with her shadow. “Do you…” Sayo knew what was coming. “Like Imai-san? Romantically? I hope you know that your answer won’t affect my opinion of you.” Rinko was genuine. “You are both like family to me.”

Sayo sighed. She wished she was a good liar. “I do.”

Rinko smiled softly, it was pure. “I appreciate your honesty, Hikawa-san. I know it must have been very difficult for you.”

Rinko noticed Sayo’s mouth iron into an uneven line, it was a slight smile. “So,” Sayo began, “Imai-san knows about what I did?” She shuddered. “The… kiss?”

Rinko mumbled, “I… believe so.” She could sense Sayo’s fear. “But… I don’t think she is the kind to hold that against you. I can’t even say she’s angry.”

“She isn’t angry?”

Rinko shook her head. “I would just say… she was confused by it. It was out of character for you.”

Sayo sighed in relief. “I’m glad.” She looked at Rinko. “The last thing I would’ve wanted was for her to be angry. But,” she stilled, “she knows about the kiss.”

“She does,” Rinko replied. “But I’m sure she won’t treat you any differently.“ Sayo was relieved. The bell chimed in the distance. “Oh,” Rinko sighed, “it’s time to head to class. I... wish we could have talked more, Hikawa-san.”

“Me too,” Sayo replied as she stood up. “Shirokane-san, thank you for accepting me."

Rinko smiled as she began picking up her things. She looked up at Sayo. “I’ll see you at CiRCLE after school?”

Sayo nodded. “Yes, you will.” She turned to walk away. “Goodbye, Shirokane-san.”

“Goodbye… Hikawa-san.”

-

That afternoon, Sayo arrived at CiRCLE early - she loved the quiet. She passed through the door, said her hellos to Marina and made her way to the rehearsal room. She removed the guitar-case from her back, placed it on the floor and opened it up. She began tuning her guitar. Sayo felt anxiety pulse through her body. She’d have to face Lisa today. _Shirokane-san said she wouldn’t treat me any differently_ , Sayo thought. She frowned. _I hope I didn’t mess everything up_. The door opened. Yukina had arrived.

“Hello, Sayo,” Yukina said blankly. “I trust your day has been fine so far?”

“Yes,” Sayo replied. “Thank you for asking, Minato-san.”

Yukina gave her a look of acknowledgement before she unpacked her belongings and began warming-up. The two sat opposite to each other. They turned their heads to the door when two more entered - it was Ako and Rinko.

“Hey, guys!” Ako smiled as she dashed to the drum set. “I’m ready to have an epic rehearsal today!”

“Ako-chan, be careful!” Rinko cried. She turned to the vocalist. “Hello... Yukina-san,” she said quietly. Her eyes met Sayo’s and she stilled. “Hikawa-san,” she acknowledged.

“Shirokane-san,” Sayo replied.

Rinko smiled before she walked away. “I will go warm-up.”

Yukina took a sip of tea from her thermos, arching a brow. “Did something happen, Sayo?” She continued, “There was tension between you and Rinko.”

 _No tension, just a secret_. “Don’t worry, we are both fine,” Sayo lied. Yukina mumbled something she couldn’t make out before walking to plug in the microphone. Yukina didn’t seem completely convinced, but it seemed she didn’t care enough to ask questions. Sayo was relieved.

She hadn’t noticed Lisa had walked in during her talk with Yukina - she had her back to her. The bassist tapped her shoulder and Sayo almost withered away when she turned around. “Imai-san…” was all she could mumble.

Lisa gave her a reassuring smile. “Sayo, could we talk outside after rehearsal?” She added, “If it’s okay? I don’t wanna pressure you.”

Sayo embedded her gaze into the floor, nodding in reply. _Today is the day I die_ , she thought. “Okay, I’m gonna set up,” Lisa waved before she walked away. “I’ll see you after~.” 

-

Yukina stood in front of the band. “So,” Yukina began, “has every set up and warmed up?” One by one, the four nodded. "Very well then." Yukina sounded like a teacher. "Pull out 'Promise', please."

Ako counted down with her drumsticks then Rinko began playing. Sayo was on auto-pilot, she had many more things to worry about than this song. She found it ironic that she was the one so driven to continue practice the day of the storm, only to zone out at their next practice. However, her ears tuned in when she heard Lisa’s voice sing. Sayo’s eyes trailed over to Lisa, she was focused and doing her best. _She sounds great_ , Sayo thought. _I’m fortunate it was you_.

They wrapped up the song. Lisa turned to the four of them, “How was I guys?” She giggled. “Hopefully I did well? I’m not really used to soloing…”

“You were so cool Lisa-nee!” Ako squealed, waving around her drumsticks. “You sounded great!”

Rinko nodded. “I agree with Ako-chan,” she smiled, “you did well...”

“My sentiments exactly,” Yukina said.

Lisa grinned. “Thanks, guys! Your encouragement means a lot!”

Sayo felt confidence rise within her. “I thought your voice was lovely, Imai-san.” She immediately froze. _Where did that come from?_ She noticed Rinko giggle to herself.

Lisa giggled and looked away bashfully. “Well, uh,” she mumbled before smiling, “thanks, Sayo!”

“It is nothing,” Sayo lied. She knew deep down that her reaction was everything. “So,” she turned back around, “are there any parts we should iron out?”

Yukina nodded. “The bridge to measure thirty-four was sloppy.” She spoke with authority. “I will give you one minute to find it.” Everyone quickly flipped to the measure. “If everyone is ready, let’s begin. Ako, count us down.”

As the song began, Sayo smiled as she played her guitar. She looked forward to seeing Lisa after rehearsal. She felt supported. Rinko - and more importantly, Hina - still care about her. _Maybe… everything will be alright_? _Maybe it isn’t as big of a deal as I thought it was_? She took a deep breath. _Everything will be okay_.

-

As rehearsal came to a close, everyone left one by one. First, Ako and Rinko left together - followed by Yukina, who left alone. It was just Sayo and Lisa left alone in the room. Lisa made her way to the exit. “Sayo,” she turned around, “remember to meet me outside, ‘kay?”

“Yes,” Sayo replied as Lisa left. She sighed and holstered the guitar-case over her shoulder. _This is it_. _Here goes nothing_. She stepped into the lobby and said her goodbyes to Marina. She then walked outside. Unlike last time, it was a clear sky. The sun was setting in the horizon, bathing the outside of CiRCLE in an amber glow. She saw Lisa near the railing, texting someone on her phone. She cleared her throat. “Hello, Imai-san. Who were you texting?"

Lisa turned around. She tucked her phone away. “Hey, Sayo - nobody important~.” She awkwardly giggled. “What did you think of practice?”

Sayo sighed. “Imai-san, if you have something you would like to say to me please get straight to it.” Her eye contact didn’t waver. Lisa's eyes looked nice in the sunset

“Okay, okay…” Lisa trailed off. She held her arms. “You,” she began - appearing deep in thought, “you know why I want to talk to you, right?”

“Shirokane-san informed me,” Sayo replied. She came off as detached. “It’s about the sleepover, correct?”

Lisa looked to the wall behind Sayo. She was never good at confrontation. Why couldn't they pretend it never happened? “Yeah,” she said, “and how when I was pretending to be asleep you…”

“Kissed your forehead,” Sayo said. She surprised herself, she would have never foreseen herself being this confident with her feelings.

Lisa blushed. “You said it so casually…” She trailed off with a weak giggle.

“I apologize for that,” Sayo said. “I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“There’s no need to apologize!” Lisa defended. “I know this conversation must be pure anxiety for you…”

“I appreciate the concern,” Sayo replied. She knocked her shoes against the ground. “Is that all you wanted to say? 'Cause if so I’d like to leave.”

“Jeez, so impatient,” she sighed. She gulped. “There’s just a question I wanted to ask you - which, well, shouldn’t be a shocker.”

Sayo could guess what it was. “Do,” _yep_ , “do you like me? In a romantic way?” She added, “It isn’t unreasonable for me to believe, right?”

Sayo’s been honest this far, so she had no reason to start lying now. Lisa knew about the kiss regardless. She bit the bullet. “I do.”

Lisa looked like she was about to combust. Her cheeks were dusted with red. Sayo would be lying if she said she didn't like it. “I… appreciate the honesty.”

Sayo turned around and began walking. “I will be going now.” She didn’t want to stay for any more of a response. Lisa was left standing there alone, unaware of what to make out of their conversation.

-

As soon as she heard the door open, Hina bounded off the couch and sprinted to the door - nearly tripping on the red carpet in the hallway. She hugged her sister. “Yay, onee-chan is home!” She pouted, “I missed you!”

Sayo tilted her head - surprised her sister was home. “Do you not have any rehearsals with your group?”

“Those are normally in the morning before school!”

“I see.” Sayo put down her things on the nearby table. She picked up her binder. “Well, I have homework I need to complete.” She walked down the dim hallway to her room. “I will talk to you later, Hina. Also…”

“Mhm?”

Sayo deadpanned as she opened her bedroom door, “I told Lisa that I liked her.” 

Hina gasped, “Wha-? Lisa?” She raised her hands dramatically, “You told her? That’s so unlike you! You’re even calling her by her first name..!”

“I have grown a lot in the past few days thanks to your support, Hina.” She smiled. “Thank you.” She left the hallway into her room, “I will go do my homework now.”

Hina whimpered from the other end of the hallway, jumping in place. “You can’t say something like that so randomly! Jeez, you should give me a warning next time - now I have so many questions!” She plopped on the couch. “I’ll just have to pester her at dinner… Mom and dad don’t come home till late anyways~.”


	4. The discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feelings are shared and discovered.

Lisa couldn’t focus during school the next day. Regardless of the class, her head was filled with thoughts and feelings that she couldn’t discern. Time went by slowly that day, it felt like the clock stood still. Whenever she was with others, she was on auto-pilot - her mind was elsewhere. When the moment the final bell ultimately rang, Lisa was the first one out of Haneoka. She wanted time to sort out her thoughts, alone.

The long walk home was a blur; her thoughts kept her occupied the whole time. As Lisa arrived home, the sun was still bright in the sky. She walked up the steps and slipped inside her home quietly. 

As she set down her things the aroma of roast chicken flooded her senses - her mother was home. Lisa peeked around the corner to her right - her mother stood at the stove, stirring a boiling pot. Lisa smiled vacantly, “Hi, I’m back from school.” She didn’t have enough energy to give an enthusiastic reply, so she settled for whatever smile she could muster - her thoughts were muddled in disarray.

“Lisa!” she smiled. Lisa’s mother was a petite woman, but whatever she lacked in size was made up with confidence and energy - she found it inspiring. “How did rehearsal go?”

Lisa felt a genuine smile tug at her cheeks, it was hard to stay in a poor mood when she talked to her mother, her positivity was overwhelming. “It was good! The festival’s getting pretty close, we have less than a month until performance day, so…”

Her mother chimed as she wiped the sweat off her forehead with a rag, “I’m sure it’ll go off without a hitch, you’ll be great~. How is Yukina-chan doing these days, she isn’t placing too much pressure on herself I hope? She was always an ambitious child.”

“She’s good, she’s just focusing a lot on the festival.” She took out the pink scrunchie from her hair, any previously restricted brown hair now flowed freely. “It’s typical Yukina. Anyways,” she continued, “I’m gonna head up to my room to do some homework, I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Alright then, study hard!” She added, “Dinner should be ready in an hour, it’s chicken stew - you’re favourite! I wanted to give you a small treat since you’ve been working so hard?” Her mother’s smile was contagious.

God, she was too sweet for her own good. “You’re the best~.” Lisa said, “I appreciate it, your support means a lot!”

“Well first,” her mother added, wafting the chicken smell to her nose, “I don’t want to keep you from getting your homework done. I’ll see you in a bit, okay?”

“Yep!” She replied. Lisa said her goodbyes and hopped up the wooden stairs to the second floor. Entering the first door on the right, Lisa collapsed onto her bed, burying her face into her pink pillow. Her stomach was left churning after Sayo’s prompted confession. _Stupid, so, so stupid._ _Who just says stuff like that so directly?_

Sayo liked her.

Lisa has been confessed to multiple times throughout her life; kindergarten boyfriends to coworkers at the convenience store. She turned them all down - there was no connection, no prior history to make a decision off of. However, this was different. This was the first confession she’d received from a girl, and not to mention, a girl she saw very often.

Lisa turned herself on to her back, now staring at the ceiling. She sighed, why was this bugging her so much? She could just decline the confession and this whole ordeal would be over. With the more thought she put into it, she had grown to realize: did Sayo even ask her out? Would it come off as narcissistic to decline a confession when they didn’t actually confess? Sayo had just answered a question - did she even want to go on a date?

Lisa’s eyes glossed over as she imagined in her mind what it would be to be in a relationship with Sayo. _I can’t decline the confession without even giving it a shot, right?_

Sayo was an enigma to Lisa. She felt like they'd gotten closer throughout their time in Roselia together, but the more she thought about it, did they even know each other that well? But again, a relationship’s purpose is to become closer - her mind hit a dead end.

She thought - _okay, what do I like about Sayo_? Lisa would be lying if she said she didn’t think Sayo was pretty - and she was very talented to boot. But she’s very stoic, she almost came off as cold. Her mind trailed back to her night at Sayo’s - she felt like she saw a glimpse of the real her: a passionate guitarist with headstrong ambition, a sister who had grown through her hardships; Lisa admired her. _She’s grown a lot since I met her._

Lisa had spent the night less than a week prior - _Sayo must’ve liked me at that time_. Did she tell Hina? On a broader thought, who else knew about her crush, did Roselia know - Yukina? The possibilities made her stomach drop.

After thinking about it once over, Lisa was still undecided. It would be wrong to give Sayo an answer that she didn’t have full confidence in, though. She didn’t want to accept her confession, but deep inside her, she didn’t want to decline it either. _What does she like about me_? _Why does she even like me_?

Lisa pulled out her phone. She swiped into her calling app and stared at Sayo’s contact - she had a heart emoji next to it. It was put for platonic reasons, but now, Lisa didn’t want to remove it. The question burned at the back of her mind - why her?

She clicked ‘call’ despite the increasing heartbeat in her chest - fortune favours the bold, but regret does too.

She held the phone up to her ear and fiddled with a strand of her hair with her empty hand. It rang once, no response. Another time, still no response. _Sayo’s probably busy, practicing guitar or something. She’s definitely busy_ -

A lull voice came from the speaker on her phone. “Imai-san?” Sayo sounded surprised. “Why are you calling me?”

“Sayo,” Lisa said, “what do you like about me?”

“Eh…?” There was a temporary moment of silence on the other side of the line. “Why… do you wish to know?”

“Your confession had me thinking ‘bout stuff.”

She heard a cough. “That… is a deep question to ask, did you expect me to not feel any pressure? I may be stern but I am not a robot, and more importantly,” she continued, “I didn’t confess to you - I simply answered your question.”

“Either way there was a declaration of love!” Lisa teased. Sayo was too easy. “C’mon, I don’t wanna pressure you - I know the past while has been tough for you.” She smiled as she spoke, “But, I wanna know your answer.” Lisa was flushed - not in a sweaty, uncomfortable way - but a lovey, stomach-flipping kind of way. Did Sayo feel like this too?

There was another pause. “That’s a vague question, I apologize if my answer does not live to your expectations.”

“Don’t worry about it, just answer.”

“Impatient much?” They both laughed, Lisa was very eager. Sayo audibly gulped. “I would say… you are a kind spirit. You are one of the most empathetic people I know; you show kindness to anyone and always do the good thing regardless of if it benefits you are not.” She paused, “God, this is embarrassing. You better not be using this as blackmail...”

“Everything that you say won’t leave this phone call - continue, Sayo. Please.”

“Did you need an ego boost or something?” Sayo sighed on the other end of the line. 

“Please, for me?”

There was a moment of silence. “You are very hardworking. You are willing to give up the things in life people would typically take for granted throughout life. Like when you stopped using acrylic nails to continue pursuing the bass,” _I’m smiling like such an idiot_ , “I admired your decision. It showed that you had depth.”

“Depth?”

“When I first met you, you came off as a person who lacked depth - only looks, no personality.” Lisa felt her heart ache a bit, _ouch_. “But,” Lisa’s ears perked up, “you proved me wrong. I think you are an excellent person, Imai-san.”

Lisa’s butterflies were going feral in her stomach. Her face was flushed, however, her smile was bright. “I think you’re great too, Sayo.”

“You… you do?”

“Yes.”

“Well,” Sayo continued, “you’ve helped me grow a lot since I’ve gotten to know you.”

“Sayo?”

“Yes, Imai-san?”

Lisa exhaled. “I think I might like you, in a romantic kind of way.” There was no response. She stared at the flower painting on the wall across from her. _Did I really just say that_? The line was still silent. “Sayo, are you still there?”

“Yes, I am,” Sayo replied. “You just took me by surprise, that was…” she sighed, “wow…” Sayo added with some bitterness in her voice, “You think? What’s that supposed to mean? That isn’t much of an answer.”

Lisa sighed. “This is complicated for me too, y'know? The fact we’re both…”

“Girls.”

“Yeah, that.” Lisa continued, “But I do like you Sayo. Seriously.”

Sayo’s voice grew dreary over the phone. “You aren’t saying that only because I told you my feelings, I hope?”

Lisa noticed a dark cloud loom in the distance. “No way.” Was it going to rain again? “I’d like to maybe hang out sometime.” She never was the kind of person to beat around the bush, if she felt a certain way, she was very open about it. A raindrop tapped against her window, what was with all the rain recently?”

“Like a date?” Sayo asked.

Lisa nodded to herself, “Yeah, a date - if that’s alright.”

“I’d like that a lot, Imai-san.” Lisa could hear Sayo’s smile through the phone. A shout came from the other end of the phone, however, it wasn’t Sayo’s. “HINA! What did you do this time!?”

“Is everything okay, Sayo?”

“I’m so sorry Imai-san,” Sayo apologized, “but Hina had a small accident in the kitchen. Would you be okay with talking more after rehearsal tomorrow?”

Lisa smiled into her pillow, “I’d like that a lot.”

Sayo added, “I will talk to you tomorrow then, I look forward to seeing you.” Then the call ended, leaving Lisa alone once again.

-

Sayo sprinted to the kitchen, panic flooded her mind. What did she do this time? _Please tell me she didn’t hurt herself_. Her eyes scanned the kitchen, and there was a huge mess; messy bowls decorated the kitchen island, pots and pans stood together on the stovetop, but Hina was nowhere to be found. _What did you try to do, summon a demon_? _You aren’t Udagawa-san_ , _Hina_. Sayo heard a whimper on the other side of the kitchen island, _there you are_. She crept to the opposite side of the kitchen and peeked around the corner of the table.

_You’ve got to be kidding me_. Hina was laying on the floor, covered in muck, head on the floor and buttocks in the air. “Hina,” Sayo asked, unsure if she really wanted to know the answer to her question, “what did you do?” 

Hina’s hoarse voice made it obvious that she had been crying. “My…” the younger twin wiggled to the side to showcase the yellowish blob that was sloshed on the floor, “my egg… it’s ruined!”

Sayo knelt on her knees and stroked Hina’s hair. She sighed, “You tried making tamagoyaki again, didn’t you?”

Hina cried, “I just can’t get it right…”

Sayo sighed as she stood up. “Go change.” She opened the nearby closet and took out a mop and bucket. “I will start cleaning up your mess and you can help once you are finished - understand?”

Hina gasped as she wiped tears from her eyes. “You aren't yelling at me like you usually would, where did the real onee-chan go!?"

“What can I say? I’m in a good mood.”

"My Hina senses are tingling!" Hina rubbed her fingers on the sides of her head as if she was trying to tell the future. “They're telling me... something happened with Lisacchi!”

“You may be right, you may be wrong.” Sayo smiled. “I’ll tell you once you’ve changed.”

"Okie dokie! I'll be super fast! Dududududu!" Hina dashed down the hallway into her room with her arms spread out like an airplane. Sayo found her sister's childlike personality sweet, although a bit annoying sometimes; she knew that they cared about each other immensely. She wouldn’t trade it for the world.

-

Yukina noticed a change at their next rehearsal, however, she couldn’t place a finger on what it was. The air was static - like a haze had filled the room. Ako and Rinko acted like their normal selves, for the most part. However, Sayo and Lisa were acting strangely. She felt electricity - a spark - between them, it made her uncomfortable. The two were more hands-on than usual, and to be specific, more hands-on with each other. Lisa was typically a lovey, feely type - so her actions didn’t stand out to Yukina. However, Sayo was normally the opposite: quiet, secretive and cold. But for a reason Yukina couldn’t think of, the two were extra handsy with each other. 

As rehearsal met its end - indicated by Ako’s groans and whines - Roselia began packing up and heading home for the night. While packing up, Yukina made sure to move slowly - she wanted to know what was going on. Ako and Rinko left together as always; the two were basically inseparable. The only thing Yukina had to do at this point was to wait for Sayo and Lisa to leave.

Thankfully, the two left together shortly, waving her goodbye. She waited a moment to ensure they were gone. The vocalist was almost set to leave. She tucked her water bottle into her bag and slipped out of the room, closing the lights on the way out. She gave Marina a quick wave, careful to not let the two girls leave her sight.

The sun was beginning to set like after every rehearsal. She watched the two stand together at the railing, it was picturesque; the sun was perfectly positioned in a way that made their bodies silhouettes of crimson. The lake was on the other side of the railing too - if she wasn’t here for other reasons, Yukina would have taken a picture. The two girls seemed to simply be chatting. Nothing was out of the ordinary, is it possible that Yukina had just been making it up in her mind the whole time? She gave the pair one more look before turning to walk home, it was getting late. _I should be practicing_ , _now I’ve just wasted my time_. However, a nearby laugh - sweet as honey - pricked itself into her brain. _I’ve heard that laugh many times before_ , _I could never forget Lisa’s laugh_. Yukina turned around and the scene in front of her left her without words.

Sayo and Lisa were holding hands, walking down the stone path. Yukina had certainly not been expecting that. _Was Lisa keeping secrets from me_? She made her exit quickly - it was a mix of a walk and run. Her head felt heavy and warm and sweaty.

She had to leave.


	5. The night together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The band gets together.

Lisa positioned Sayo’s hands on the neck and body of the bass.  _ Her hands are soft, I like it _ . However, her back hurt due to bending over; Sayo was sitting on her bed, creating a fair height difference.  _ Why does my bed have to be so low _ ? “I’m not sure why you’re so worried about the way you hold it,” Lisa said, “the bass and guitar are both pretty similar~.”

Sayo frowned. “It’s just that I’ve never played a bass before, I want to make sure I don’t make a mistake.” She looked up to Lisa from her bed, “I can show you my guitar next time, right?”

“Totally! I like doing stuff like this with you.” Lisa sat next to Sayo. She turned to her, “This feels a lot more natural than a lot of the regular date stuff people tend to do, y’know?”

Sayo nodded. As if on cue, Lisa’s phone rumbled on the nightstand. “Just gimme one sec,” she said, standing up and walking over. She picked it up; her eyes scanned the screen. “Hm, it’s a text from Ako. Wonder what she needs…”

Sayo added, she was now on her phone too. “She messaged me as well.” She paused, “It seems that she would like us to sleepover at her house - to help us ‘bond,’ she put it. She also said we could go over our plans for future performances during our stay.” She sighed, “This is quite spontaneous of her…”

“That’s classic Ako for ya~,” Lisa hummed. She thought about it, although sudden, a night with Roselia sounded great; a night with Sayo sounded even better. They could spend all of their time together, it was perfect. “It sounds like a ton of fun! You wanna go, Sayo?”

Sayo smiled shyly. “A year ago, I would have declined. I was much more devoted to my studies and practices back then - I was a different me.” She stared at the neck of the bass and fiddled with one of the strings. “I want to try new things and gain new experiences. I... think it would be a fun time.”

Lisa stared at her girlfriend with soft eyes, she held pure admiration for her growth.  _ I have a sudden urge to hug her _ . “Sounds like a plan~.” _ Keep your cool _ . “Let’s both let her know we’re good to go.” She asked, “When did she wanna hang out again?”

“Tomorrow night I believe.”

Lisa typed up her reply and hit send. She sat next to Sayo and placed her head on her shoulder. “Y’know,” she purred, “we’ll be able to spend the whole night together. Are you excited?”

Sayo’s face was coated with red. “I…” she gulped, “I am aware.” Her eyes turned away. “I’ve actually been looking forward to having time alone with you.”

“Is that so~?” Lisa smiled relaxingly, but her crimson face hinted to something else. She knew those words should only be taken at face value. “Do you wanna meet up at one of our houses before we head to Ako’s? We can walk over together.”

Sayo’s brow furrowed. “Would it not be suspicious? I wouldn’t want anyone knowing about…” She stared at Lisa as she abandoned the sentence. “I am fine as long as we meet up at your house - not mine. My parents are still not aware that we are…”

Lisa noticed Sayo’s hesitation. She placed a hand on her shoulder. She didn’t want to force her to do anything she wasn’t comfortable with. “We can do this bit by bit, okay? We can go at a speed you’re cool with.” 

“Thank you for understanding, Imai-san.”

“Of course~. We can pretend like we’re friends like usual when we go to Ako’s, no-one will suspect a thing!” Lisa smiled. “You wanna meet up at my house then? My mother would be cool with sleeping over, plus she likes you a lot~.”

Sayo smiled. “I’ll come over around dinner-time, we can head over then.” She looked down at Lisa’s bass - still in her lap, “Should we continue with my bass lesson?”

She smiled. “Sure thing!” She stood up and boasted, “Let’s see if scales are super easy for a pro like you~.”

“I will not be wavered by you, Imai-san.”

Lisa hummed, mischief thick in her voice. “Oh, I know~.”

-

Lisa danced her favourite cherry lipgloss over her bottom lip. She pucked her lips together and looked at herself in the mirror. She wanted to look nice - and she knew she always did - but this was different. Now, there was Sayo in mind; she loved her attention, doing things that would have her eyes on her. She felt needy, but the thrill of the attention outweighed it.

She giggled quietly to herself now realizing the tone of her thoughts.  _ I must really like her _ .

“Lisa-chan!” she heard from downstairs, bringing her back to reality. It was her mother. “Your friend is here!”

“Coming!” Lisa shouted as she walked to her bed and holstered her bag over her shoulder. She had her clothes, make-up, hair supplies: she was set. She stepped out of her room and down the stairs. There, in the foyer of her home, stood Sayo. Her hair was more flowy - it was different - but Lisa loved it.  _ She’s so pretty _ . 

“Hello, Imai-san,” Sayo greeted formally. She also had a bag over her shoulder. “It is nice to see you. Are you ready to go?”

“Yup,” Lisa replied. She turned to her mother, “I should be back tomorrow afternoon. You’re still good staying home by yourself?”

“Of course!” her mother joked. “You two should just focus on having fun with your friends, I’ll be perfectly fine~.

“Okay, okay~.” Lisa breathed out. She turned to Sayo, “Let’s head out”

“Alright,” she agreed. She turned to Lisa’s mother and bowed, “Thank you for letting me into your home.”

Lisa’s mother laughed, “Oh, it’s nothing you need to thank me for! If anything, I should be thanking you - I was starting to get worried Lisa-chan had no other friends than Yuki-”

Before her mother could utter another word, Sayo was pulled out on to the front steps. By the time she turned around, the door was closed. “I’ll see you tomorrow!” Lisa shouted through the door. “Jeez,” Lisa mumbled. “That was so embarrassing…”

Sayo chuckled as they began their walk to Ako’s home. “I thought it was endearing if it matters.”

Lisa smiled as red crept its way on to her face, “It does.” She stared at Sayo’s hands, “Do… you wanna?”

“I do.” She interlocked her right hand with Lisa’s left. “We did this after practice that one day, I don’t see why we shouldn’t do it now.”

Lisa giggled as her stomach flipped. “You’re great, you know that?”

Sayo chuckled to herself. “I know.”

-

Lisa wiped the sweat off her forehead with her free hand. The sun was still bright in the sky; the heat was almost unbearable. She could see a faint haze rise from the pavement. “Jeez, Ako lived farther away than I thought.” she sighed. “Are we close?”

“Actually,” Sayo replied, “her home should be just around this corner.” She looked away shyly, her hand shook, “Is it okay if…?”

Lisa let go of Sayo’s hand. “Totally, we don’t have to tell them yet.”  _ But we will eventually, right _ ? The couple turned a right, and they knew they had arrived at the correct place. The house planted right in front of them seemed average enough, however, Lisa could see her two silhouettes on the front porch. They walked up the front steps and Ako lept at Lisa.

“Lisa-nee, you’re here!” Ako squeezed her; Lisa said hello in return. She turned to Sayo as well, “And Sayo-san came too! Tonight’s gonna be amazing!”

“It is nice to see you, Udagawa-san,” Sayo said curtly. She turned to Yukina, “Hello, Minato-san.”

Yukina nodded in affirmation, preferring to respond with silence. She looked at Lisa, “It’s great to see you again, Lisa. Did you and Sayo walk here together?”

“You’re talking like we haven’t seen each other in ages,” Lisa cooed. She looked aside, “We actually ran into each other on the way here, so we just walked the rest of the way together~.”

Yukina opened her mouth to respond but Sayo interrupted, eager to diminish the suspicion. “I don’t mean to bud in, but where is Shirokane-san? Is she inside?”

Ako jumped around, “Yep! She brought her Nimtendo, so she’s just setting it up in the living room~. Oh, I almost forgot!” She snatched Sayo and Lisa’s bags; there was a balancing act happening between Ako’s arms, specifically, one that was far beyond her. “I know what you’re thinking, but I got it! I’ve got a super good sense of balance~. I’ll take your bags inside,” she turned to head inside, “I’ll be right back!”

Lisa sighed, “I hope she doesn’t hurt herself…”

“Ako makes up for her tall expectations with spirit,” Yukina said.

Sayo added, “That is one way to put it.”

Silence soon filled the patio; the atmosphere was awkward. Despite knowing her for so long, Lisa had nothing to talk to Yukina about - she was drawing blanks. The only sound heard was the sound of cars whirring by on a nearby busy street blended with the summer cicadas buzzing in the distance; it didn’t help with the tension. “The sun seems to be setting,” Yukina said blankly; she was always difficult to read.

Lisa looked at the trees, the sun was cutting through them. It was getting later in the day anyway, so it wasn’t anything new to her.  _ Yukina is great at keeping the conversation alive as always _ , she thought. The three would normally have been able to converse without a problem, but there was an unspoken tension between the three. What happened ? Ako was normally the source of comedic relief, where was she? 

As if someone was hearing over her, Ako poked her head through the front door. “Hey, uh, guys!” Ako shouted. “Rin-Rin has the game she wanted to play all set up! You’re all good to come inside now!”

_ Thank god _ . “Sounds good, Ako!” Lisa chirped. The three of them followed Ako through the front hallway. She noticed a collection of picture frames, as she squinted she noticed the majority of them were of a young Ako and Tomoe. A smile graced her face as she walked by, it was cute. When they entered the living room, Rinko was sitting in the middle of the floor. 

Rinko smiled at them. “It’s... nice to see you all,” she said quietly. “I’ve got the game set up…” She reached into a nearby basket and retrieved five remote controllers, stacking them up in her left arm. She stood up and passed one to each girl. “If you click a button - any button - it should turn on your remote controller. Just… please don’t press anything else so I can finish setting it up please…”

The group agreed to Rinko’s terms and momentarily situated themselves on the couch in front of the television, it was a flat-screen; Ako was a serious gamer so it didn’t seem surprising. “By the way, Udagawa-san,” Sayo commented, “where is your sister?”

Ako gave a toothy grin, “She’s just chilling upstairs in her bedroom! She promised to not interrupt us~.”

“That was kind of her!” Lisa added. “And also,” she continued, “thanks for having us over! We always spend time together as band-mates; I’m glad you suggested a sleepover so we can just hang out as friends~.” She fiddled with her red controller. “I feel like it’s always so serious whenever we meet up…”

Ako glowed up, “Oh, you shouldn’t thank me!” She raised her arms towards Yukina as if she was a prize, “This sleepover was all Yukina-san’s idea!”

Lisa arched a brow. “Really? That’s… not something I would have expected.”

Sayo agreed. “I must agree with Imai-san, it is unlike you to suggest an event like this.”

“I have my reasons,” is all that Yukina said. Despite Ako and Rinko’s benign attitudes, Sayo and Lisa were confused. However, all concerns vanished when a small squeal came from Rinko. “It is… ready…” She instructed carefully, “Once we get to the character selection screen, I’ll be player one, Ako-chan will be player two, and you can all claim whatever is left…”

“You take which players we are incredibly serious, don’t you Shirokane-san?” Sayo asked.

Rinko nodded sheepishly, unwilling to elaborate. “So,” Yukina budded in, “what is it that we are playing?”

“Ooh, ooh~!” Ako cooed. “It’s a fighting game,” she moved her hands around dramatically, “the kind where you go WAPOW and KACHOW! You just wanna beat everyone up.”

Sayo sweated, “That sounds quite crude…”

“It’s… quite fun once you start playing…” Rinko added, “It’s all cartoonish violence… so it shouldn’t be that bad.”

“I will take your word for it.”

As if on cue, the television screen lit up; Rinko weaved through the various screens with ease - Lisa didn’t even have a chance to see the title of the game. However, Sayo managed to catch it. “Super Smash Brothers…? I think I’ve played it before with Hina.”

“It is…” Rinko trailed off. “It’s... a lot of fun to play with a group. That’s why I’m glad we’re together like this...” 

‘Free-for-all!’ promptly rang from the television. Sayo murmured to herself, “I guess this really is a fighting game, hm… I always play as a tank in Neo-Fantasy Online - will that translate well here…?” Lisa looked at her girlfriend in the corner of her eye. The two sat beside each other, giving Lisa a clear view of Sayo’s focused face. She found it adorable watching her in deep thought, especially when it was over the smallest things.

She watched two cursors roll across the screen, “Palutena!” the screen shouted, “Bayonetta!” followed soon after. Lisa sighed,  _ I have no clue how to play _ . She figured she would just learn how to play as the game went on.

“It’s just you three now, Ako-chan and I have picked our characters.”

Sayo mumbled, “My apologies.” The screen chimed with the sound of ‘Kirby!’.

Lisa giggled, “I would’ve never pegged you as the type to pick the small puffball, Sayo~.”

“Believe it or not, I have a love for small, fluffy things,” the guitarist said in reply, blushing. “Imai-san, Minato-san - please choose your characters so we may begin.”

Ako shouted, “Yeah, hurry up!”

“Sorry!” Lisa hummed. She glided her cursor towards Princess Peach and clicked A - the television chimed the princess’ name. “Now it’s just you Yuk-”

‘King K. Rool!’ the screen shouted. All of the girls besides Yukina sat with confused expressions. Did she want to play as the obese reptile? “Yukina-san… I think you might have accidentally selected the wrong character? If you want to select someone else just hold-”

“I have selected my character,” Yukina deadpanned. “Please proceed with the match.”

“If you’re certain, Yukina-san…”

The screen faded away, and five characters came to view. Lisa only recognized Princess Peach and Kirby - her and Sayo respectively - the others were mysteries. She found it adorable that they were both matching in pink - although it was a minor detail, she felt unified. She made a point to keep her and Sayo’s shoulders pressed together. She hoped Sayo noticed.

The screen lit up as five characters spawned on the stage. As the announcer began counting down, Ako hunched her body forward in focus, her purple pigtails hung over her shoulders. “You’re all going down…”

**3…**

Rinko bit her lower lip, anticipation rushing through her veins.  _ This is my moment… my chance to show my worth _ .

**2…**

Sayo gripped her hands around the remote controller with newfound vigour. _ I must win, I must impress Lisa _ .

**1…**

Yukina noticed a bird fly by the nearby window. It was a cute bird. Her eyes fell back to the screen.  _ Why is everyone taking this so seriously _ ?

**GO!**

The free-for-all had begun.


	6. The confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Night arrives.

Yukina was the first of the group to lose all three of their lives, and even after her demise, everyone else still hadn’t even lost a single life. Within the first thirty seconds of the match - she self-destructed repeatedly, jumping off of the stage into the abyss. Rinko had made an attempt to teach Yukina how to recover back to the stage, but the vocalist was stubborn and chose not to listen; she believed she had superior judgement.

Lisa was the next player to drop. After Yukina’s departure, the battle evened out. However, this couldn’t help the bassist’s luck in the game. Despite managing to K.O. Ako with a sneaky frying pan attack, Rinko managed to get rid of her just as fast with her large wings. She wasn’t that bothered though, it was more fun for her to watch them play anyways.

Next to lose all of their lives was Ako. The petite girl was a skilled gamer, without a doubt. However, she played recklessly, of which was her undoing. She and Sayo had only a single life to their name, meanwhile, Rinko managed to hold on to two. Sayo was off of the stage, puffing her way back to the platform. Ako viewed this as a window of opportunity - a flashy play, per se. She lept off the right side of the stage in an attempt to off the guitarist. However, her calculations were off - very, pitifully, off. She flew past Sayo into the abyss with a single swift motion. Lisa had to spend the rest of the battle consoling a mortified Ako.

Three girls were down and two remained: Sayo and Rinko. Lisa was impressed by her girlfriend’s surprising proficiency in video-games. She may have taken much more damage than the pianist, however, she was still holding her own against the attacks coming her way. The pink puffball puffed and weaved through a flurry of fire and light, Ako gasped over and over - she received a warning from Yukina to stop. It is safe to say that she took her advice to heart.

Rinko was practically untouchable, whenever Sayo attempted to make a move, the pianist managed to counter the attack or de-escalate the situation. The tension in the room was unbearable, however, it all came to end sooner than they had thought. 

Lisa had shouted an encouraging cheer for Sayo, and unfortunately, it backfired. The guitarist stumbled over her actions as she was flustered by her girlfriend’s sudden cheer. The pink ball was soon demolished into a blazing tower of light, effectively ending her stock. Fortunately, there were no hard feelings afterwards, they even shook hands after the match as a sign of respect. To Rinko’s embarrassment, Sayo bowed; Lisa found it cute.

As Rinko turned off the Nimtendo, the sun had long disappeared; the only natural light was the glow of the moon. Ako jumped up from her spot on the couch and waddled over to the pile of bags in the corner. She picked up a grey bag on the top and held it out behind her, not bothering to even turn around. Yukina stood up with surprising haste, not wanting her belongings to get damaged. “Ako,” she said as she took her bag from Ako, “please refrain from being so reckless with our bags, you may break something.”

“Jeez, don’t worry so much; I have complete control!” the drummer shouted, thrusting another bag behind her. Sayo stood up without a word and retrieved her belongings, then sat back down beside Lisa. 

“I’ll just take mine myself…” Rinko sat up and scurried over with haste, snatching her bag before it got into Ako’s hands. “Imai,” she mumbled, “is it alright if I grab your things as well?”

Lisa flashed a smile, “That would be super nice of you~.”

The pianist lugged both of their belongings over and passed Lisa hers; she was promptly thanked. Ako bounded over to the girls, carrying her own things now too. “There’s a bathroom down here and also a bathroom upstairs, so we’re gonna have to take turns.”

Sayo questioned, “Are we changing already?”

“Yup!” Ako replies. “Once we’re all in our pyjamas we can talk and gossip - apparently it’s a super popular thing girls do at sleepovers!”

“Totally!” Lisa agreed. “We can even do some truth or dare, y’know?”

“That…” Rinko said, “sounds very fun.”

Yukina approached the stairs. “We can discuss our performance in the morning.” She made her way up, her voice echoed. “I feel like we’ll be very occupied tonight.” Then she was gone.

The four remaining girls stood up, still holding their individual bags. “I’m still surprised Minato-san planned this night together,” Sayo said, looking down. “It’s unusual for her.”

Lisa winked at Sayo, “Nothing’s wrong with a little change, right?” She purred, “I feel like you’ve changed a lot too~.”

“I… I suppose so, Imai-san. Well, anyway...” Sayo coughed and changed the subject, feeling pressure from the bassist’s gaze. “Lisa, would you like to use the first-floor bathroom first? Shirokane-san can use it after, then Ako, then I-“

“Rin-Rin and I can change up in my bedroom, actually! I may as well - cause, well - it’s my room, no doy…” Ako pursed her lips together and raised her hands. “It’ll save us time anyways!”

Sayo stumbled over her words. “Are… you for certain? I wouldn’t want to make Shirokane-san uncomfortable…”

Rinko smiled gently. “It… is fine, don’t worry. Ako-chan and I are very close~.”

Sayo felt a bubbling sensation in her chest. “If you are certain,” she said unsure.

Ako pulled Rinko’s sleeve with her free hand and led her upstairs, “Let’s go~! I promise I won’t peek!” Rinko giggled as she was dragged like a ragdoll up the wooden stairs; their footsteps echoed the entire way up. Sayo gulped once they were left alone.

“So, Sayo~” she purred. “Did you want to change,” she giggled, “separately?”

She tilted her head. “Isn’t that what we were going to do? We were going to take…” her voice slowed down as the realization donned upon her, “turns…” She tightened her grip on her bag. “You’re suggesting that we…” She blinked. “This is very random of you Imai-san, not to mention crude.”

Lisa chuckled playfully. “I’m not sure what you exactly thought I was insinuating, but we don’t have to do anything just yet; I know we’re still easing into this - and I know you’re a bit-“

“I’m not completely opposed to,” Sayo paused, realizing she had interrupted her girlfriend, “physical affection, of… _that kind_.” 

“Oh, so that’s what we’re calling it?” Lisa found herself blushing at the guitarist’s remarks. “Jeez, you’re being pretty forward, Sayo~.”

Sayo turned around and walked over the hardwood floor to the first-floor bathroom. “I’m simply replying to your statement, and I am a teenager, you know. I will see you upstairs.” As she closed the door, a typhoon of embarrassment washed over her. She internally screamed as a violent scarlet washed across her face. What just happened? Was that flirting? Playful banter? Did they actually just talk about… _that_? Sayo evaded the thought, opting for keeping her innocence intact. She spoke to herself as her head went light, “Doing something… like that - with you - Imai-san… it doesn’t sound that bad.”

She truly was changing. Her mind was occupied with many things, most of which she had never bothered to give thought to before; she was scared yet eager for what was to come. But Lisa didn’t have to know that just yet.

-

Rinko asked, “Is everyone comfortable? I hope I brought enough pillows and blankets…”

Sayo replied, “There are more than enough. I appreciate your efforts Shirokane-san.” 

Everyone had changed into their pyjamas, and as far as what she had thought, what they wore was expected. Yukina - along with herself - wore a nightgown, Ako wore a purple polka-dotted two-piece with cat slippers, and the most simple of them all, Rinko wore modest silk pyjamas. Lisa, to Sayo’s luck, wore a simple tank and shorts; it was a similar outfit to when she slept over. She had managed to keep her cool for a fair while. However, she had to calm her heartbeat when she saw Lisa let her hair down; every beat was a reminder of her beauty. She thought to herself, _at what point did I get so mushy_? 

And did she imagine Yukina glaring at her, or was it just her imagination?

“This is so cool!” Ako cheered, snuggling herself even deeper in the pillows and blankets. “It’s like we’re swimming in a sea of fluffy things, it’s just so… it’s so…”

“Cool?” Lisa finished.

“Yeah!”

 _She’s like a child_ , Sayo pondered. _It’s sweet_.

Yukina cleared her throat. ‘So,” she began, “if we are going to be spending time together like this, we must not waste it. I don’t normally allow instances like tonight to occur, so let’s get the show on the road.”

Lisa chimed, “Why don’t we play truth or dare like I suggested before? It’s always fun to do at sleepovers~.”

Rinko murmured, “That sounds… fun…”

“Ooh, also!” Ako shouted. “It could help us get to know each other’s secrets too! It could be like band bonding~.”

Sayo gulped. “Each-other’s secrets..? Is that not… personal?”

“Well, duh, Sayo!” Lisa purred. “ _Are you not up for the challenge_ \- _scared even_?”

She knew she was blushing. “Not at all.”

Yukina added, “You can go first then.”

“What?”

Ako raised her voice. “Since Sayo-san’s going first-”

“Excuse me?”

“-who wants to ask her?”

Sayo could practically hear Lisa’s smirk when she spoke. “Well,” the bassist said, “if it’s okay with you guys, I’ll ask her.”

Rinko smiled softly. “Feel free~.”

Lisa’s eyes travelled up and down Sayo. “Truth or dare, Sayo?”

“Truth.” It would be easy, right?

The words came out breathlessly, “Is there anyone you’re attracted to?”

If Lisa wanted to kill her, she didn’t know. What was the point of this - embarrassment, if not shame? She knew that there was no harm intended, but the hot blood pumping through her veins was all but pleasant. Her and Rinko’s eyes locked; she could tell that the pianist was wondering if she should step in and change the topic. Sayo sharpened her eyes, signifying that she had no intention of backing down - it would be against her principles, after all.

“Yes,” was all she said.

The atmosphere in the room changed drastically, and Sayo could notice Lisa’s smug face. “Wha-? Really?” Ako gasped. “Sayo-san, super serious and grumpy, likes someone!? Who!? Who!?”

Sayo shook her head. “I do not have to say, so I won’t.”

Ako groaned over-dramatically. She tugged on Yukina’s sleeve, “Yukina-san, you wanna know too, right? C’mon, make'em say it - you’re like the overlord!”

Yukina paused. “Overlord?”

Rinko budded in, “I can’t disagree…”

She hummed, “I don’t mind the title, it has a certain charm to it.” Her gaze sharpened. “Regardless, Sayo doesn’t have to say.”

“Why aren’t you more curious, it could get in the way of our rehearsals, our performances…” Ako wiggled sporadically. “The fabric of the universe could tear apart, leaving the powerful deity, Ako, to save the day!”

“She doesn’t have to say it, I already know who she likes.”

Those words brought pure silence, the atmosphere went groggy and muddled. Nobody made a sound - Yukina just stared at the others. Sayo looked like she wanted to die and wither away where she sat, Ako’s mouth was agape with shock - and oddly enough - Lisa seemed calm, at the very least, she hid her worry. Rinko sat there, sipping on a carton of milk - she found the display oddly entertaining.

Sayo stood up with haste and shakily walked to the exit. She croaked, voice clearly strained, “I am going to use the washroom,” as she made her exit. 

Lisa’s face shifted to annoyance. “Why did I ask a question like that? Stupid Lisa, I’m so stupid…”

“Do you think she is okay…?” Rinko mumbled. “That wasn’t very nice of you to say, Yukina-san…”

“I only said the truth.”

Lisa stood up from the pile of blankets and pillows and announced, “I’m going to go check on her.”

Yukina scoffed under her breath, “Figures.”

Ako and Rinko stared at the two as if they were a real-time soap opera. It would be unwise of them to bud in, so they opted to watch. The bassist’s body stilled, and like clockwork, she then turned around. “What’s gotten into you, Yukina? You and Sayo were always on the same page on almost everything band-related, you two had similar mindsets for our goals - I really don’t get it - why are you treating her like this?”

Lisa was always the mediator within the band. Despite the clashing personalities within Roselia, she always was the one who held the group together; she was empathetic and easy-going, it was almost scary to see her act this unlike herself. Not to mention, she and Yukina have been friends since they were children. It’s no surprise that the two have fought throughout the course of their friendship, but this is the first time they’ve ever clashed in front of the band.

“Our goal is to get to Future World Fes, anything else is a distraction and will get us off of track,” Yukina said matter-of-factly. “If she’s interested in letting her feelings guide her, then maybe this band isn’t the place she is meant to be.”

“So childish...” Lisa’s voice cracked. “I can’t believe you’re saying stuff like this; I thought we’ve moved past this...” She continued with newfound conviction. “We’re all _teenagers_ , Yukina - we have emotions and we might make decisions that we might regret - you can’t shame Sayo for developing feelings for someone, it’s not something she can control. Why did you even suggest a sleepover if you were so scared of us getting off-track?”

“I had to test out my theory, and it is safe to say it proved my hypothesis.” Yukina’s gaze didn’t waver. She continued calmly, not allowing Lisa the chance to reply, “I could feel a difference at our rehearsals, Ako and Rinko have consistently given their best effort every time we play. But there's a new spark - electricity - between you and Sayo, and it is getting in the way of our progress.”

Lisa’s face darkened. “You’re not making sense.”

“You can’t let your relationship with her get in the way of this band. I can already tell that it had an impact, and it will only grow into a more dire issue as time goes by,” she said.

“Is Future World Fes the only thing you care about? Does it really trump over everything else?” Her ginger hair was a mess. “You have no right to call our relationship an issue. I don’t need to hear any more of this.” She slipped out of the door, momentarily shining a light through the room before shrouding itself in darkness again. “Yukina, I hope you change. For the band.”

The vocalist was still sitting down, her face still appeared vacant. Despite Lisa’s disappearance, she murmured to herself. “I don’t want to be viewed as evil. We... we just can’t risk losing our sound, not like before.” She looked aside. “The balance between your relationship and the band, it will only hurt us all in the end - I hope you realize that.” 

She noticed a cat plush sitting in the corner of her view. She picked it up and began playing with it, it looked childish. She mumbled something unintelligible under her breath.

On the other hand, Ako was at a loss for words. “They…” she sputtered. Rinko rubbed her shoulder in encouragement. The drummer continued, “Lisa-nee and Sayo-san were dating? Like the holding hands, kissy, mushy dating?”

Rinko nodded.

“You knew!? Why didn’t you tell me!?” She smiled wide, cutting through the dark atmosphere. “They’re so cute together!”

“I’m glad you agree.” Rinko heaved a sigh. “But… it would only create problems if I brought it up, they had... the right to tell you on your own terms.” 

Ako scratched her temple. “Hm, I guess you’re right…”

She sighed as she turned her gaze to Yukina, who was playing with the cat plush as if the fight had never occurred. “I don’t know... where we go from here… there’s been a lot of damage done.”

Ako whimpered. “This has got to be the worst sleepover ever…”


	7. The morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisa talks to others and others talk to her.

Lisa stirred slowly, waking up from her sleep. She opened her eyes and looked over to the clock resting underneath the television; it was just after seven in the morning, she noticed. The group slept in shifts on the couch and floor in the living room. The calm atmosphere almost took Lisa by surprise if it was possible.

It was a lot different than last night, almost as if the serenity of the night washed the memories of it away.

But it was quiet, and everyone was still asleep - well, everyone but Yukina; the spot where she slept was empty. Whenever Lisa slept over as kids, she was always an early riser, she remembered.

She wormed out of her blanket and carefully tiptoed over the others to the nearest door, taking extra caution to not accidentally step on Sayo. Where was Yukina? She quietly slipped away to the kitchen. Her question was answered when she saw her friend sitting at the kitchen table. She had her headphones in, probably listening to music. It was nothing out of the ordinary for her.

Yukina would have to be stupid to not see her. She could tell she was there, Lisa thought. _Is she really not going to say anything_ _?_ She shifted forwards slowly as if approaching a wild animal. “Hey, Yukina,” she said breathlessly. Her gaze wasn’t met. She lightly poked her shoulder, “You in there?”

She sighed as she removed her headphones. “I must have not heard you, my apologies.”

Lisa sat beside her and rubbed her eyes, letting out a yawn. “Don’t worry about it.” The air felt stale.

“So,” Yukina said, “you two still came back after - to sleep?”

Lisa nodded sluggishly. “Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t go home, it was way too late at night.” Her gaze loosened. “And besides, I didn’t want to leave things the way they were last night.”

Yukina replied, “I wanted to talk to you about last night as well. I was out of line,” she looked down, “even _I_ can recognize that.”

“I’m glad you’ve come back to your senses,” she smiled. “I feel like we just really let our emotions get the best of us, y’know?”

“I'll repeat: I understand that I was emotional. But otherwise…” Yukina’s voice went monotone. Her gaze burned into Lisa. “I still stand by what I said.”

Lisa sighed and bit the inside of her cheek. “Really? We’re going backwards with Roselia, Yukina.” Her fingertips danced across back and forth on the wooden table mindlessly. “We’ve been through stuff like this before, we’ve fought a ton too. It’s nothing that we can’t deal with~.”

Yukina placed her hand on Lisa's, stopping the action, emptying the room of sound. She stated, “This isn’t like that though, this is very different.”

She tilted her head. “I don’t get what you mean.”

Yukina sighed. “I know I didn’t explain it that well last night, and like I said before, it was late and my emotions were rampant - and I take responsibility - that’s _my_ fault.” She paused and took a breath. She continued speaking, “But, if it’s alright with you, I'd like for us to go over all of the possible outcomes of your relationship. It will help me illustrate my point - why I acted the way I did.”

Lisa gulped. “Okay then,” is all she said.

Yukina raised a finger as if she was counting. “Let’s say, first off, your relationship goes smoothly—you and Sayo continue dating happily and the band remains intact.” Lisa stayed silent, so she continued. “That’s the best-case scenario.”

Lisa’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“Your first relationship never lasts—rarely at least. We are all in high school, after we graduate things will change, they’ll change constantly.” Despite the direct tone of her words, there was a hidden, familial, affection laced in them, like a lecturing mother. “I didn’t want to be this blunt about it, but at this point, your relationship doesn’t concern only you and Sayo—it concerns the rest of Roselia as well.” 

Lisa was noticeably pale if not anxious, which Yukina noticed. She gave her cold hand a squeeze, but continued, ripping off a band-aid. “If for one reason or another you two break up, the band will never be the same. You two are extremely talented, and if anything were to happen—a disruption in your dynamic—our sound will die.”

Lisa spoke flatly, “You sound really dramatic right now.”

“I don’t mean to be, but it's the best way to describe how important this is to this band,” she said. “And your friendship is strong, and it has shown through our recent rehearsals. Besides myself, I don’t think I have ever seen you this close with someone before.”

Lisa turned her gaze upwards; the words that came next had an edge to them, and if it wasn’t coming from Yukina, it may have hurt. “If there is a fight or a misunderstanding, or something else goes wrong—there is no guarantee that your relationship will return to normal. It could even worsen.”

Lisa lulled, “Do you really think that could happen?”

It didn’t sound unrealistic.

However, a small figure moved into her peripheral - a human roadblock to their conversation. Ako now stood in the kitchen, small. The self-appointed hell-raiser seemed soft, in a metaphorical sense. Her hair wasn’t in her regular pig-tails, it laid down, long and thick, and her eyes were half-lidded. They almost didn't notice her.

Did she always move so quietly?

“Nyeh…” she yawned, looking at the two girls. “Hey... guys...” She was obviously half-asleep; her speech was mumbled and slurred, syrupy like honey. “Are... you guys the only ones awake…?”

Yukina spoke. “Yes we are, the others are still asleep." She added, "Is your sister still sleeping as well?"

"She sleeps til like... noon..." Ako mumbled as she muddled to a cabinet and pried it open, picking out a cereal box and bowl. She filled the bowl, almost falling asleep where she stood. “You guys…” she yawned, “want cereal…?”

Lisa shook her head. “I’ll probably just grab something on my way home, I never really wake up mentally until I get my morning coffee, hehe…” The giggle at the end felt forced, it was obvious - at least to Yukina. Meanwhile, Ako was barely conscious enough to stand.

Yukina shook her head side to side when offered food, denying it as well.

She then leaned to the side of Lisa’s face and whispered in a hushed tone, keeping her words from Ako’s ears. “To set it straight, I don’t care who you date, in fact, I don’t even care if you tell me who. I know that you have a good sense of judgement - a good judge of character. But I cannot stand aside when it could affect our band, so please - try to understand my point of view.”

Nothing else was said, not even in hushed tones. Yukina put her headphones back on swiftly and Lisa sat there, almost stunned by a sudden monologue. With no other option, she pulled out her phone as a simple solution, scrolling through her social media. The sticky air of silence was filled by the crunching of cereal and the faint hum of the air conditioner, and Lisa thought - maybe - that she could hear the faint snores of Sayo and Rinko too.

-

Soon enough, Sayo and Rinko both woke up. Very few words were said between Sayo and Yukina except a ‘hello’ or ‘good morning,’ the awkwardness and conflict of the prior night were still fresh in their minds. Ako, now mentally awake, did her best to be a bundle of energy as usual, but the atmosphere still felt deflated. After changing back into their regular clothes, Sayo and Lisa left together just after noon, saying their thanks and good-byes, and Yukina and Rinko left not too long after. 

When Sayo and Yukina spoke that morning, it almost felt like a mind-game. Each word was said with a secret intent, almost as if each person were standing their ground, calculating their opponent’s moves. The two were never particularly sociable, so it was a cruel display.

And at that moment, Lisa noticed the dynamic had already changed.

On their walk home, she made sure to explain to Sayo the highlights of the conversation she and Yukina had before she woke up.

It wasn’t _their_ relationship that Yukina is against; she could care less about who they dated. All that mattered to her is that it affected the band, and although Lisa wished she couldn’t, she _could_ see her logic. If they broke up, it _would_ be difficult for things to go back to a sense of normalcy. It _would_ affect their sound.

At times, Yukina’s maturity surprised Lisa. Despite her poor ability at expressing her thoughts, they’ve hit the mark almost every single time. 

Sayo, on the other hand, seemed hesitant, but still, she ended up comprehending Yukina’s point. They were both consistently practical and cool-headed; Sayo could understand her mindset. So, begrudgingly, she understood. 

The breeze paved through Sayo's thoughts and she groaned, seething between her teeth.

_This is complicated - more than I would have expected it to be._

It _was_ Sayo’s first crush on a girl. Did she get too excited? - did she let the idea of an actual relationship cloud her thoughts and judgment? Was she greedy? Now looking back on the past two weeks, she wished she didn’t rush things.

But now, all she - they - can do is adapt.

They arrived at Sayo’s house first, and Lisa gave her a lingering hug before they turned the corner, hiding the action from unwanted eyes. She said goodbye to her and left to walk the rest of her way home. The feeling of Sayo’s body around hers etched itself within her mind, and secretly, she wished they could do more. Even if it was just something like a kiss, she’d be satisfied. She just wanted more of that warm feeling.

But one thing at a time.

-

“Mom, what were you and dad like when you dated?” Lisa asked one night during dinner. Her mother’s eyes stared at her with part surprise and part curiosity.

She swallowed her bite and giggled lightly. “Are you seeing someone, by chance?” 

“No… no, that isn’t it,” she lied. “Some of my friends are starting to date, and I’m just kinda curious, that’s all.”

“So you’ve considered it?”

Lisa poked her food with her fork. “I guess so, yeah.”

Her mother chuckled and raised her hands mockingly. “My daughter is finally entering the world of romance…! Ah, doors are opening…!”

Lisa’s face went red and she raised her hands in front of her in a flurry. “Fine! Nevermind! I don’t wanna know!”

“Aw, c’mon - you know I’m joking~.” Her gaze then turned somewhat serious, but it still retained motherly spirit. “I promise I’ll be serious, okay?”

Lisa stared her down. “You promise?”

“Cross my heart,” her mother nodded with a slight grin. “I don’t normally get to see this serious side of you,” she teased. “But you wanted to know what it was like when your father and I dated…” She then sighed. “Jesus, I haven’t talked about him in forever…”

Lisa nodded to the statement, the first part at least. She didn’t want to unbag anything else that day.

“Well, we met in high school,” she said. “Around the same age as you.”

“Really?”

Her mother nodded. “He was a total flirt, he never knew when to shut up sometimes...” She laughed to herself, “A player is what he was. Well, before he met me he was. Your amazing mother was the one who got him to settle~.”

As much as she wished she was disgusted, Lisa actually found her mother’s rambling heartwarming. Thinking back on it, it may have just been a long day, blurring her judgement.

“I’ll admit, there were some trust issues at the start of the relationship.” She rested a hand against the round of her face. “I was a pretty quiet kid back then, more of an introvert, I’d say. And your father was popular, he was friends with everyone, which wasn’t something I could relate to. But your father helped me gain confidence, he really showed he cared.”

Lisa fought a small smile. “So what did you guys do when you dated?”

She hummed and continued. “We did the usual stuff: we went on dates, celebrated holidays together: white day, the regulars…”

_Dates?_ Lisa hadn’t considered going on one with Sayo, not this early, at least.

“But it was the small things that really made it special. Small gifts, he listened to the things that I cared about even if he didn’t even _understand_ a word I said - even going on something as basic as a walk was always nice. Walks would probably be a good way to start most relationships, though. It's simple, it doesn't put too much pressure on the couple.”

_Walking._ It was basic, definitely. But it worked, especially in the early stages of a relationship. Maybe it would be fun.

Lisa interrupted with a question. “Was he your… uh… first love?”

Her mother giggled teasingly. “Man, you’re really curious tonight, aren’t you~. But, no.”

“ _No?_ ”

She shook her head. “We had both been in relationships before we met each other, so we both had experience going into it.” She rambled, “He definitely dated more people than me though.” 

“So it wasn’t your first then.”  
  
She giggled lightly. “No, honey. Your first relationship never lasts, but it’s always fun to dip your feet into the water, get experience for the whole thing.”

_Never lasts?_ Lisa thought. That means her mother agreed with Yukina’s point too.

_I guess it was just hopeful thinking._

Her mother noticed the fall in her face. “But never say never, y'know?” She hoped she didn’t corrupt her daughter’s chance at a love-life with that one sentence. “Hey, did you want to grab some dessert after this?” she asked in an attempt to change the subject. “I have a huge sugar-craving coming on~.”

Lisa looked at her mother with amused eyes. She had enjoyed hearing her mother’s relationship with her father, it gave her some insight into how an actual relationship should work. But still, _your first relationship never lasts_.

She ended up nodding to her idea. After what felt like the longest day, she could definitely go for something sweet.

Sayo liked sweet things, Lisa remembered. If she had the courage to ask, they could maybe go out somewhere together and get ice-cream, or maybe fries or takoyaki.

She took a deep breath. Maybe she should reserve that thought for another time - another time when she could indulge in her thoughts just a bit more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, i'm alive! i chose to take off the ten chapter restriction in favour of ending the story where i think would be best. i don't want to rush things so i thought it would be best. 
> 
> p.s. i wanna hug lisa's mom.
> 
> kudos and comments are always appreciated! i love reading them.


	8. The pre-date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisa is reminded that, in fact, she does not live by herself.

The bells chimed at the end of the school day signalling departure, and Sayo stood at her locker. The clouds were beginning to grow dark, so she pulled out an umbrella, holstered her bag over her shoulder and began on her way home.

However, when she turned around to start, she was pulled around the corner, away from the eyes of her peers and her back almost slammed into a wall. A certain girl stood in her way.

“Sayo!” Lisa hummed. “Howzit going?”

“I am doing fine, Imai-san,” Sayo replied, slightly disoriented. She tilted her body to the side, peering at the crowd of students leaving on the main path. “I’d love to chat - trust me - but I really need to head home…”

“Okay, okay, okay,” Lisa repeated to herself, over and over. “I’ll be quick! So… uh...”

 _She’s jumpy,_ Sayo noticed. She asked, “Are you feeling alright?”

“Just stumbling over my words, that’s all,” Lisa giggled. “I’ll let you go on your way, trust me. I just wanted to ask you something!”

“Oh, what is it?”

“So,” she said, “I asked my mom, and she was totally cool with it...” Lisa shifted in her spot, but her smile never faded. It was like a young school girl asking her crush to dance. “Did you maybe wanna come over one day - after school? Hang out, or something like that? I’ve been wanting to ask…!”

Sayo stared at her, quizzically. “Is this a date you are asking me on, Imai-san?”

She fiddled with her fingers. “Well, it could be like… a pre-date, if you want. We already talked about going on one before… so this could kinda be a test run for the real thing!”

“Are you certain your mother wouldn’t mind if I came over?” Sayo found herself asking. She, in fact, loved the idea of spending time with Lisa in private. But, it was still foreign, and she was cautious.

Lisa nodded vigorously as a raindrop passed by the side of her face. “Trust me, she’s lowkey your biggest fan. She keeps asking at dinner when you’ll come over again~.”

Sayo found herself blushing at the praise. “Is that so…?”

Lisa smiled and nodded again. “So - is it okay if I text you to iron out the details…?”

Sayo found it odd that despite being so popular and well-liked, Lisa was able to act insecure when it came to relationships; but still, this _was_ their first relationship, and both of their first times dating a girl, on top of that.

Deep down, Sayo also found herself thinking: _does Lisa ever worry about her image?_ She _was_ very popular, in the friend-sense, men and women alike. It was as if she soared above it all, uninvolved with rumours and gossip. But now, Lisa was playing with fire, and their last moments with Roselia would have fueled that insecurity if anything. But at that point in time, Sayo wouldn’t know if that was true, so she shook the question from her mind, preferring simple thoughts.

Sayo affirmed, “You have my phone number.”

Lisa grinned before scampering off. “I’ll text you tonight then, see you!”

The sentence felt incomplete - a lack of ‘ _girlfriend’_ or pet name at the end of it left a drab taste in her mouth. But she didn’t mind, she had yet to even say the words out loud to herself.

_Lisa is my girlfriend._

She propped open her umbrella and began on her way home. The trip was calm with the patter of the raindrops and the funnel of her thoughts.

But Sayo couldn’t help but secretly feel excited - giddy in the cliché, dancing in the rain, getting soaked, way. Her thoughts though, awake and dormant, were of Lisa and Hina and her guitar.

Not Roselia.

But the truth was, forever honest, she really didn’t mind.

-

Two days later, with the newfound freedom of the weekend, Sayo accompanied Lisa to her home as promised. It was a jaunt as she remembered, but she didn’t mind. Thanks to the long walk, Lisa stayed over that one night - the night that lived free in Sayo’s mind.

When formally introduced for the first time, Sayo was anxious, but she kept a calm front. Lisa’s mother was a very kind and warm woman, but also a very intense one. The older lady - not _too_ old, she’d probably say - was bombarding Sayo with questions regarding Lisa relentlessly.

Apparently, she was just very happy that Lisa had a friend besides Yukina.

A very close friend.

Still, Sayo did her best to give an answer to each, in the meantime hiding the important details that could destroy their friendship façade. Lisa would be lying if she said she wasn’t impressed by the display considering her girlfriend’s asocial nature.

Soon enough, Lisa’s mother said her goodbyes and headed upstairs, noting that as much as she’d love to stay and chat more, she couldn’t miss the new airing of her favourite cooking show; because, as she put it, who else was going to do the cooking?

As she left, Lisa grabbed Sayo’s hand and pulled her into a hallway to the side, then through another door. She had no reason to say anything, so she stayed quiet, curious to where she was being whisked away.

Sayo could deduce, given the peach curtains and bedding - along with the variety of make-up sitting next to a regal-looking vanity - they were in Lisa’s room. As she would have expected, it was cute - cute in a feminine, girly way.

Lisa closed the door behind them and lead Sayo to her bed. She sat her down and then walked to her vanity. She opened the drawer and began sifting through its contents. Sayo asked, “What are you doing, Imai-san?”

She didn’t answer initially, instead rummaging through what Sayo guessed to be make-up. “Just sit there for a sec,” Lisa said, and the instructions were followed without a word. She added under her breath, “I’ve imagined this over hundreds of times, I’m not gonna mess this up.” Sayo stared at her as she monologued, then after more searching, Lisa gasped, turned around with a new item in her hand, and sat beside Sayo. 

Lisa turned sideways, crossed her legs, and then unzipped a cherry-coloured pouch. She began taking out various vials of nail polish, placing them between her and Sayo. “I didn’t want to do anything too ‘out there’ for our pre-date, y’know? So I was wondering if maybe…” Lisa placed her hand on top of Sayo’s. “Could I please paint your nails?” she asked, almost coming out like a beg. “I bought some new colours _just_ for this!”

She found herself asking, “You’ve been preparing for this?”

Lisa nodded hesitantly without removing her hand. “Surprisingly, I’ve never done this before, so I really don’t wanna mess this up.”

Sayo smirked. To see Lisa, the popular girl who was almost always fawned over by the majority of able-eyed boys, anxious and flushed, it took a toll on Sayo. A very wonderful toll. She asked, “What colour do you think would look best?”

“On your nails?”

“Of course.”

“Then in that case…” Lisa paused and stared at Sayo intently, oblivious to the actual space between them, or more importantly, the lack thereof. Sayo breathed unevenly before Lisa pulled back, toying with the tension. “Green,” she said matter-of-factly. “It complements your hair and your eyes, it’ll make you look super pretty.”

Slightly blushing, Sayo hushed, “Then let’s start. I’ve never done this before, so you will have to take the lead.”

Lisa nodded and took a deep breath like painting nails was a grievous chore. But, considering their situation - the foreign nature of it all - Sayo didn’t mind, she even understood. Lisa grabbed a vial of nail polish, a green colour. “Mint…?” she asked, to which Sayo nodded.

Then, as Lisa twisted the lid open, the room went silent. It wasn’t the kind of silence that held tension, or felt uncomfortable - or rather - one of common understanding, it was calm, but again, it _was_ just very hot. She took Sayo’s hand into her own and spread out her fingers. Once she dipped the tip of the brush into the mint, she danced it across Sayo’s fingernails, one by one.

The sunlight poured in through the slight crack between Lisa’s curtains, and it was quiet, with only the cooking channel going on in the next room. Painting your girlfriend’s nails held more intimacy than they both would have expected, and Sayo’s heart beat in her chest. She felt embarrassed just sitting there, but secretly, she really _really_ enjoyed it.

Lisa broke the silence, looking up from her hand. “You’ve never done this before? Painting your nails?”

“Not that I remember,” Sayo replied. “I was never that into… cosmetics as a child.”

Lisa giggled. “Well, I guess you have a girlfriend who can help you with that now!”

And truth be told, Sayo felt immense satisfaction when Lisa said ‘girlfriend’. She wanted to hear it from her mouth, over and over if she could. _This is unlike me._ _Deep breaths, don’t lose your cool._

Lisa did one final stroke before moving her hand back, keeping Sayo’s hand resting on top of the palm of her other. “I think…” she squinted, “we’re all done! Now we just need to wait for it to dry.”

“How long should it take to dry?” Sayo asked, stretching her fingers out, viewing the final product.

“Just an hour or two.”

She made a sound of affirmation before she felt a new stickiness on her skin. The room felt warmer, much more than before. She muttered to herself, “Was it this hot before?” 

Lisa shrugged. “Apparently it’s supposed to be a super hot summer.” She then lied down, her head resting on her pillow, hands over her stomach. “The A.C. is on, and all the fans in the house are too, so I guess we’re just gonna have to make do. Sorry.”

Sayo dismissed the apology, claiming that it was unneeded before the room went quiet again. The pause allowed the whirring of the fans to become more apparent, and they were both silently grateful that the curtains were closed. It made the room feel a tiny bit cooler.

Sayo couldn’t disagree, it _was_ starting to get hot. 

Lisa scooted over to the side, leaving room for another body. She patted her hand on the empty spot on her bed against the wall and said quietly, “You wanna….? Just make sure to not mess up your nails.”

Sayo stared at her, and she felt her heartbeat quicken. _This is… this is new. Very, very new._ But, she found herself nodding. Her limbs moved sporadically with anxiety, but she crawled her way beside Lisa. Then, experimentally, she lied down, eyes on the ceiling above her, barricaded in every direction but south.

Her hip was touching Lisa’s. She didn’t mean to notice it, but now she couldn’t _unnotice_ it.

“Sayo,” Lisa said, turning her gaze to her girlfriend beside her.

“Yes?” Sayo replied, casting her eyes aside as well.

“You’re happy with me? - being in a relationship with me?”

Sayo paused. Then said, “I am.”

Lisa turned her body on its side, then delicately draped an arm over Sayo’s stomach tenderly, full of unspoken affection. Her ginger hair sprawled around her like a ripple in a pond. She mumbled into her neck, happily. ”Good.”

Sayo pulled her arm all the way through to Lisa’s back, holding her in her embrace as well. Her eyes began fluttering, desperate to stay open, and she could tell Lisa was fighting sleep as well. Her mind didn’t hold a single thought.

Then, the sticky heat in the room enveloped them, bringing them into an intertwining deep sleep, healthy and whole.

-

Lisa was warm when she woke up, feeling well-rested but groggy. Sayo was still intertwined with her, so she did her best to stay still. Savoury smells drifted from the hallway - the kitchen - and she smiled to herself.

It smelt _very_ good; apparently, the cooking channel might have actually been helping her mother after all this time. 

She took in another deep breath, and that gulp of oxygen made her realize something strange.

_How can I smell something from the kitchen when my door is closed?_

Slowly with caution, careful to not stir Sayo, she turned her head to the door to her room. A wave of dread mixed with the smells from the kitchen, filling her body in a warm way the heat just couldn’t.

The door was wide open.

They left it closed. They definitely left it closed, and the only people that were at their home were Lisa, her mother, and Sayo. Given the fact that a certain someone was still asleep with her, and knowing she for god didn’t, there was only one possible option.

Her mother opened the door.

And if she was to guess, she must’ve come to tell them about dinner. And quite obviously, she didn’t wake them for whatever reason.

Motherly instincts must have kicked in because her mother quietly scurried into the room with her maternal fifth sense. Or maybe, Lisa had just made a sound. She didn’t know.

Her mother threaded her cool fingers through Lisa’s mossy bangs, pushing them back and uncovering her peachy face, mixed with the mortification and humidity. She spoke calmly in a hushed tone, “Lisa, everything’s okay.” Her eyes swapped between Lisa and Sayo for a moment. “We can talk about this once Hikawa-san leaves, okay?”

Lisa had the urge to conjure an explanation - _we accidentally ended up like this_ \- _it's not what it looks like_ \- although it most certainly _did_ look like what it looked like. But underneath it all, the edge of her lips just wanted to say: _you don’t mind?_

Knowing that anything she’d say at this point would incriminate them more - _reveal them more_ \- she stared back at her mother with a parted mouth, and no words brought it to a close.

Her mother whispered an ‘I love you’ and pressed a light kiss to her forehead before leaving the room once more, and Lisa tried to smile a lopsided, uneven smile. It was quite obvious, _she didn’t mind._ Or; she suddenly became a good actress.

Lisa felt a stir from on her chest, and she watched Sayo waken with a yawn. Her face turned to Lisa’s, and they were only inches apart, they could feel their puffs of breath morph into each other’s, and Sayo stared at Lisa dreamily with half-lidded eyes.

Then, as if the smells from the kitchen dropped her back into reality, Sayo sat straight up quickly, a blushing mess. Her arms moved in front of her and flurried back in front of her. “M-my apologies Imai-san, I… I should not have fallen asleep…! And on top of you at that…! I apologize, I apologize!”

Before Lisa could respond, her mother did, yelling from the hallway. “Dinner's ready!”

They both stood up, and there was a new electricity present between them, a current that wasn’t there before. But they didn’t exchange a word, and Lisa didn’t tell Sayo that everything was alright, or even that something was wrong. Because, despite her hopes, her best guess, their best-case scenario, she really couldn’t say anything for certain. She’d rather not give hollow hope if she could avoid it.

So they went to the kitchen without a word, and Lisa was grateful that Sayo didn’t notice the open door.

-

If her mother wasn’t a surprisingly proficient cook, Lisa would have struggled to stomach the majority of her food. She didn’t think her mother was _angry,_ but given what she had walked in on, anything was possible.

Sayo was the complete opposite, she appeared oddly satisfied at the dinner table. She acted polite and courteous as always, saying the proper ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ when need be. Her mother also kept the conversation alive with Sayo, which was surprising, yet oddly fascinating. 

Sayo was changing, she was more open.

Lisa only thought to herself, given how things were going at dinner, it was almost as if her mother had never seen them.

But, Lisa knew, she very much did.

When the evening neared its end, and Lisa and her mother said their goodbyes to Sayo, she wondered: _should I say anything? But what is there to even tell?_

So, she just waved and smiled, smiled and waved.

When the door closed behind Sayo, she turned around. Her mother was leaning forward against the kitchen island and gestured with a cough and a head tilt to an empty seat opposite to her.

Lisa took a deep breath, exhaled, and sat down. She didn’t meet her mother’s eyes, she felt like she was awaiting a punishment.

But instead, her mother asked sweetly, “You and Sayo are dating - an 'item', kids would call it?”

Lisa didn’t bother to lie, she knew she was bad at it. She simply nodded meekly, scared of what would await her. 

She smiled tenderly. “I’m glad you’re being honest, I know it must be hard, nerve-wracking even.” She then placed her hand on top of Lisa’s. “As long as you’re happy, I’m happy; I hope you know that.”

At that point, Lisa felt her heart beat more calmly, and she felt her back relax. “You don’t mind?” she asked. “You’re not going to do something bad to me?”

Her mother cried, “Oh, of course I don’t mind - you’re my pride and joy, if you weren’t in my life, I’d have no idea what I’d do!”

To this, Lisa regretfully felt herself start to tear up slightly, relief coursed through her body. _She isn’t angry. I’m okay, I think._

_I think._

Her mother noticed the wetness around her daughter's eyes and stepped around the counter before embracing her daughter in a warm hug. She dabbed her thumb against the under of her eyelids, ridding any tears that may have slipped out. “Don’t cry~! You know that when I see people cry I just fall apart… No fair…!”

“You really aren’t angry?”

“Angry that you’re gay?” her mother gawked amusedly.

“Well, maybe not that… not... gay... maybe…”

“Guys, girls, humans - _please -_ I’m just glad you haven’t shut me out like the majority of teens your age.” She slowly unsheathed herself from their hug, but still remained at Lisa’s side. “But I need to ask, how long have you two been seeing each other?”

Lisa replied with a cautious warmness, “Maybe like, two weeks?”

“So it’s still pretty fresh, pretty new…” she said to herself, then she clapped to herself. “Yay, this is so exciting…!” Lisa then stared at her mother, honestly surprised at how supportive she was being. “Have you two…” she asked, “been physical at all?”

Lisa stared at her mother with part disgust and a slight wanting to wither away. Unsure of how to answer, she stuttered, “N-no… we haven’t… um…”

Her mother raised her hands defeatedly and chuckled to herself. “I know, I know; it’s awkward to talk about this kind of thing with your mom. But it’s important for me to know.”

“Yeah,” is all Lisa said.

“So to be careful _,_ ” she said, punctuating her words, “you two won’t be hanging out whenever I’m not home, not from now on.”

Lisa did a double-take, half-disappointed and half-dazed. “I just said that we’ve never…”

“Trust me, sweetheart. I was a teenager at one point too,” she said. “And although it may not be on your mind right _now_ , things change. And just because nobody can get _pregnant_ , it doesn’t mean that you couldn’t end up hurting yourselves too.”

Lisa stared at her mother with a deadpan look, having had enough of the conversation. “I’ve got it.”

“So,” her mother said, unaware of the weight the next words would bring, “you promise, no sex?”

_She had almost fallen out of her seat at the mention of the 'S' word._

Lisa coughed into her shoulder. She stuttered, “I... won’t have Sayo over whenever you’re not home.”

“No sex?” she said once again, unsatisfied.

_We've never even discussed going that far._

“I won’t have Sayo over whenever you’re not home,” Lisa repeated, feeling even more flustered. “Are we... Can I go now?” 

“Go relax, I’ve put you through enough for one night,” she laughed as she waved her hand in a shooing motion. Lisa then slipped out of her chair and left to her room, wanting to slip out of the conversation, and maybe, forget it happened as a whole.

She giggled to herself, “Jeez, she can be such a teenager sometimes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am back! lisa's mom is a real mvp as always. stan sayolisa! and don't worry roselia hasn't been forgotten about haha.
> 
> your comments help fuel my motivation A TON, they make me super happy! so leave one if you maybe have the time. (^_^)


	9. The trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arisa does not like going outside.

Arisa Ichigaya was a homebody.

She hated the outside. Anything that didn’t involve a couch and television made her riddled with dread. So, when Arisa heard about the camping trip that happened every year, she made the steadfast assumption that she wouldn’t go.

But, as a part of the student council, she would soon find out it was mandatory for her to attend.

It happened every year apparently, a camping trip with tiny cottages in the brush of the forest. It was something that Hanasakigawa and Haneoka did together, a weekend of bonding between the two schools filled by the heat and haze of the new wave of summer.

The idea wasn’t appealing to Arisa, to say the least. In fact, it was almost the perfect way to make her suffer. Stuck with people, stuck with bugs, stuck with the humidity; Arisa felt her stomach churn.

Could she worm her way out of this one?

Surprisingly, when she discussed the event at student council, Sayo - the most serious person she knew - supported the idea with unwavering persistence. And even more shocking, Rinko - the ultimate loner - didn’t mind it either.

“Did you two even go on last year’s trip?” Arisa asked during a meeting. This was the first time she was given the opportunity to go herself, so she had no way of knowing.

Sayo and Rinko quietly shook their heads sideways, sparing a slight glance at each other, one of slight awkwardness or shame. “Then why are you two suddenly supporting it? There’s no point in doing it if we’re not gonna enjoy it, we _are_ the student council after all, so we have the final say...”

She especially wanted to appeal to Rinko, who was currently the temporary student council president as.... what was her name? - Wanibe? - was studying for a month abroad.

Rinko had been psyching herself out over her temporary status, but Arisa could tell she was grateful for the opportunity.

Still, Arisa made sure to weave her words carefully, she wanted to _stay_ on the student council after all.

Sayo replied, “I just want to make more memories, I am only in high school once, after all.” It was a simple answer, but truth be told, Arisa didn’t care enough to question her further. Rinko mumbled a weak ‘same’ and then began scribbling away on her clipboard, making plans, reaffirming her guard.

And despite not pressing for further details, Arisa didn’t believe Sayo’s statement. In fact, it almost seemed suspicious, out of character for her even.

Something was up.

But still, obviously out-numbered, Arisa feigned support for the trip. In turn, she was dealt the duty of spreading awareness for the trip and affirming the numbers of those going from Hanasakigawa.

As Sayo and Rinko left, they reminded Arisa to meet in the student council room on the day of the trip; it was the student council’s duty to round up the final numbers and supplies.

Feeling defeated, Arisa typed away under the ruby cry of the twilight, silently sulking away at the upcoming weekend that she’ll be spending in the woods, and not under layers of blankets in front of the television. 

-

When Arisa entered school that day, trailing her suitcase of clothing behind her, she immediately headed to the student council room like she was told. The idea of seeing Sayo and Rinko in their casual clothes oddly intrigued her.

She rounded the corner and hovered her hand over the handle to the student council room, ready to enter. But she didn’t turn it. She heard two voices: Sayo and Rinko, talking.

But that was to be expected. Who else would have been talking?

Arisa stood there, listening attentively, trying to make out what they were talking about. However, she could only hear pieces.

First, she heard Rinko’s voice. “Are you…” _mumble mumble_ “...Lisa?”

_Lisa?_ Arisa thought. Rinko and Lisa _were_ bandmates, so nothing sounded particularly noteworthy about that. But then, Sayo spoke, and again, it wasn’t easy to make out.

“I want to…” _mumble mumble_ “the bonfire could…” _mumble mumble_ “...romantic.”

Romantic. 

_Romantic?_

Before Arisa could try to piece together the words and pauses and broken up meanings, she heard footsteps coming up to the door from the other side. Arisa quickly tried to straighten her posture and take a step back, faking the semblance of motion.

When the door slid open, Sayo stayed in place, slightly unnerved as Arisa just… stood there.

“Ichigaya-san… are you just… standing there?” 

Arisa scrambled for words. “Heh!? No way…! I was just… just about to walk in! You just opened the door right when I was about to!”

“I see…” Sayo said as she stared. She continued, getting down to business, “I have a clipboard with the list of students attending from Hanasakigawa, Haneoka will be taking care of their own numbers. So I’m going to go head onto the loading zone where the vehicles will be, alright?”

“Got it!” Arisa said defiantly.

“You can help Shirokane-san collect the rest of our supplies before we leave… just make sure to be at the back of the school in ten minutes, okay?”

Arisa nodded. She asked, noticing they didn’t have any bags on them, “You didn’t bring any luggage?”

“Shirokane-san and I actually left our belongings near the back of the school, Matsubara-san kindly offered to watch over them for us.”

“That was nice of her…” Arisa said, feeling a bit stupid for asking such an obvious question.

“It was.” Sayo turned to leave. “Anyways, you’re all good?”

Arisa nodded with a ‘yup’ and Sayo headed on her way, leaving her with the temporary student council president in the council room.

No pressure.

“Ichigaya-san…” Rinko mumbled, “I think I have all of the materials we need… and… your hands are already full with your belongings so… I don’t want to make you carry anymore things…”

Arisa shook her head. “No way! I can totally handle it!”

Rinko smiled softly and giggled with supplies in hand. “To be safe… I _will_ take these… we don’t need anything to break…”

Arisa sulked. “You’re sure?”

“I am sure.”

“In that case, I’ll meet you at the back?” Arisa stated, but it came out as more of a question.

“Yes, you will,” Rinko said. “And before you go…”

“Yeah?”

Rinko gave another gentle smile. “Please make sure to try to enjoy this trip... I understand you aren’t the… ‘outdoorsy’ type… but I think you should at least give it a shot, your best effort. We’re all trying new things nowadays, right?”

Not wanting to possibly start a fight with Rinko - the _student council president who happened to hold immense power, and in a month from now, a close person to the ‘actual’ student council president -_ Arisa nodded, promised she would, then turned around and headed on her way.

She didn’t forget what Sayo said before, though. But there was a time and a place to think it over, and for now, she found it wiser to develop ideas before a plan of action.

_Something to do with Lisa-san, bonfires and romance… It’s probably not ‘that’... but… could it?_

Maybe Arisa could think about it on the way to the camp if Kasumi spared her a moment to breathe.

-

She was not given a moment to breathe.

“Ooh, Arisa!” Kasumi shouted from her seat on the bus. “Look!” She showed her phone to Arisa. “This is where we’re staying!”

Arisa groaned and peered at the screen: it was of the campgrounds they were going to for the weekend, adorned with ratings and reviews. “We’re literally sitting next to each other - you don’t have to be so loud… but...” She paused for a moment before continuing in a judging tone. “That place - it doesn’t look so bad.”

Kasumi nodded and cheered, “We’re gonna spend so much time together, it’s gonna be great!”

“I’ve got something I need to find out while we’re here though,” Arisa said. “If I’m gonna stay there, I’ll have a little adventure of my own. Then - maybe - I might find some enjoyment out of this experience.”

“Ooh!” Kasumi stared at her like a child in a candy store. “An adventure? Lemme come! Please, please, please!”

“Wha- no!”

But Kasumi didn’t relent. She continued pestering Arisa with a wall of ‘please’ after ‘please’, not even giving her the chance to respond. Arisa groaned to herself, then she let out a small yell.

“Ah! Fine! Fine! Fine! You can come!” Arisa shouted, annoyed.

“Really?” Kasumi asked sweetly, contrasting how she acted only a moment prior. “You’re the bestest Arisa!”

“But!” Arisa declared. “I’m not telling you what I’m doing, you can only tag along for the ride!”

“That works for me!” The small ball of energy then nodded and nestled her body into her small seat on the bus, shutting her eyes. She yawned, “I promise I won’t get in your way…”

Arisa visibly blinked at her last comment but ignored it. “Did you not get enough sleep last night?”

Kasumi didn’t open her eyes. “I was way too excited for the getaway so…” She yawned in her seat. “I stayed up pretty much all last night hoping for the morning to come faster. And here we are~.”

She huffed, “Then just sleep you slouch, I’ll let you know when we arrive at the campgrounds. Make sure to take care of yourself…”

Kasumi was drifting away. “Mmm…” she mumbled to herself. Then, she was out cold and Arisa sat there with another unamused look on her face.

However, Arisa _did_ care about Kasumi, even if she wouldn't admit to herself. So, as she promised, she let the girl sleep and paid attention to the road signs, making sure to wake her up when they arrived.

Arisa, however, _did_ have a mission - a goal. If she _was_ going to stay camping in the outdoors for a weekend, then she could at least find out what was happening with Sayo. Then maybe, after all is said and done, the trip won’t be a complete waste.

Before she hopped off the bus, she quickly pulled out a small brown notebook and a pencil from the backpack she brought with her. She scribbled on a page messily:

**Hanasakigawa & Haneoka Retreat: Day 1**

Then, she slowly stepped off the bus.

-

Arisa stood at the wooden bulletin board that was planted a few feet away from the buses. Surrounded by a crowd of girls from both schools, she pinned up sheet after sheet of paper before quickly darting out of the way; the girls - almost viciously - fought to read the pieces of paper.

They were all dying to know who they were bunking with, and Arisa wasn’t going to be trampled by them if she could so help it.

But she then realized, where did Kasumi go? Did they get separated in the crowd?

A sweet voice came from beside her. “Everyone’s so violent over it, eh?”

And when she turned her gaze, it was Lisa who was beside her. Arisa laughed sheepishly. “It’s really not as big of a deal as everyone makes it out to be. They’re going to be spending the majority of their time outside anyways…”

Lisa nodded. She then asked, keeping her gaze on the girls in front of them. “Y’know who you’re situated with?” 

“I haven’t checked.”

“Aren’t you a part of the student council at your school? I’m surprised you haven’t snuck a peek.” Lisa ended the statement with a slight chuckle.

“Well…” Arisa trailed off as she reached behind her and pulled out her phone from what Lisa could only assume to have been her backpack. Two swipes later and her phone screen was right in front of her. Arisa smiled mischievously. “I… might have taken a picture when Sayo-senpai wasn’t looking.”

Lisa seemed to still for a moment when she heard ‘Sayo-senpai’, but she quickly recovered. Arisa made a mental note of it; why did Lisa freeze up? It confused her. _It’s probably not that, definitely not ‘that’._

But again, _maybe?_

“Ooh~! So unexpected from a Type A person such as yourself!” Lisa said with a trace of friendly mocking.

Arisa stammered, “Just look at it before I take my phone away, okay!?”

Lisa giggled lightly. “Coolio...”

They stared at the cabin chart, and after some scanning, they found their names under the same cabin:

_Cabin 4B: Bustling Blossoms_

_The following girls will be staying in this cabin:_

_First Years_

_Arisa Ichigaya_

_Kasumi Toyama_

_Himari Uehara_

_Eve Wakamiya_

_Second Years_

_Lisa Imai_

_Kanon Matsubara_

_Yukina Minato_

_Chisato_ _Shirasagi_

_Third Years_

_Due to a disproportionate ratio between first/second years and third years, all third-year students have been relocated to Cabin 2A-D. Thank you for your understanding._

Lisa's eyes lit up but then fell. “So Yukina is in our cabin?”

“Seems so,” Arisa answered. “You seem weirdly disappointed; I would’ve thought you would be happier about that.”

Lisa raised her hands defensively in jest. “We’re just in a bit of a rough patch right now, hehe…”

Arisa mumbled, not wanting to accidentally open emotional baggage. “If you’re sure…” 

“Buuut~’!” Lisa cheered, a complete turn around from before. “We’re cabin-mates - totally amazing!”

Her cheers seemed oddly hollow.

“Yeah, super amazing…” She didn’t hate the idea of rooming with specifically _Lisa,_ but the idea of sleeping in a room with who knows how many others was… not preferable, not whatsoever. Arisa slid her phone back where it came from. “Are you ready to check the cabin out?”

“Totally! If you wanna, let’s head there together.”

With a nod from Arisa, they both started on their way through the mossy green forest trail, dragging their belongings along with them. She asked, “You haven’t seen Kasumi by chance, have you?”

“Can’t say I have, sorry!”

Arisa accidentally scoffed, but then covered it up with a cough. “It’s okay…”

_I’ll see her at the cabin, then._

They began on their way, but Arisa noticed something about Lisa that couldn’t be obscured by the light peeking through the leaves. That negative, drab expression stayed on Lisa’s face. It was subtle, but she could tell of its presence by the way the corners of her lip would be weighed down and the hollowness of her usually airy laugh.

Arisa did her best to pay it no mind though. It wasn’t her problem.

-

When they entered the cabin, some people were already there. Chisato sat on her bed, scrolling through her phone. She barely lifted her eyes to the two of them. She just said in a low voice, “Lisa-chan and Arisa-chan are here.”

Himari stood at the side of what Arisa assumed to be her claimed bed, seemingly sifting through her suitcase. She turned around and waved, but she seemed disappointed as she sighed. Himari asked, “Is that all the first years for the cabin?”

Lisa began unpacking her bags at the side of one of the beds. She replied, “We’re just waiting on Kasumi and Eve, I think.”

“So nobody from Afterglow is in our cabin, hm…”

“I don’t think so, sorry Himari-chan…”

She giggled lightly in an almost sad way. “Nah, it's okay; it’s good for me to hang out with some new people for a change…” She ended the sentence with a small ‘ha’ which contradicted her entire point.

“Anyways…” Chisato added from her spot on the bed, “Has anyone seen the others?”

As if on cue, the door burst open like a force of nature. Dashing in, giggling, was Kasumi and Eve. “We…” the model began, “are here!”

“Woohoo!” Kasumi cheered, flying about. “This is gonna be so awesome!”

_Ugh… Kasumi…_

Lisa asked, “Did you two run into each other, or…?”

“Eve-chan and I found each other on our way here, so we decided to take the scenic route! It was the best!”

Eve shouted, “I wanted to show her the true meaning of Bushido!”

“And that required taking a scenic route?” Arisa mumbled.

“Of course!”

Chisato mumbled to herself quizzically, “There’s only one path to the cabins…” But nobody heard her. Then, her phone lit up with a ‘ding!’ She swiped once, read the screen, and then read it again. She sighed, stood up and then began on her way out of the cabin.

“Where are ya going Chisato-san?” Himari asked from behind her, tilting her head.

“I’m going to find Kanon-chan, she texted me that she got lost. She… was never good with directions,” Chisato answered bashfully. “She also said that Yukina-chan is with her, which accounts for everyone in this cabin. So… I will be back soon.”

“Ooh, then Arisa and I will come with!” Lisa declared. She snagged an arm around Arisa. “Doesn’t that sound fun, Arisa?”

Arisa gulped and bit her lip; she didn’t want to say something she would regret. So instead, she chose to agree. “I’m a part of the student council, so I guess it’s a part of my duty to ensure the safety of the students here… and stuff.”

“Amazing!”

_It’s really not._

“I never asked for company,” Chisato said bluntly. “But…” she paused, “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to have you two tag along.” She topped the sentence off with a small chuckle.

Kasumi stood up from across the room and walked to Arisa and pulled at her sleeve. She made a slight whine and looked up at Arisa with sad eyes. “You said I could come with you on your adventures… before… back on the bus…”

Arisa looked at Chisato, then to Lisa. She then asked, “Is it okay if Kasumi tagged along? I promise she won’t get in the way…”

_You’re such a piece of work…_

Lisa smiled. “I think this falls on Chisato to decide!”

When her name was called, Chisato made an audible noise of slight surprise. A noise that indicated: _me?_ She collected herself quickly and stated, “I trust Kasumi-chan will be great company.” Once again, she chuckled, almost smugly.

“Thank you so much Chisato-senpai!” Kasumi said as she shook the girl’s hand up and down. “I promise I won’t get in the way!”

“Don’t stress yourself over it,” Chisato replied calmly without missing a beat as she let go of her hand. She began heading out of the cabin. “Hopefully it won’t take too long. We don’t want to be caught outside when the sun goes down.”

Himari said from her bed, “I know you guys will find them in no time! Eve and I will stay here so if any adults come by we can explain what’s going on!”

Eve made a sound of agreement, nodding her head.

Lisa grinned once more. “Sounds like a plan then! Let’s go!”

Then, one by one, Chisato, Lisa, Arisa, and Kasumi left the cabin on a search for Kanon and Yukina.

_They better not be too far away..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am back once again. now we're introducing new characters! and also a new pov shift protagonist-wise. why? we'll find out later haha. once again, all interaction is appreciated! comments are super nice to read. and stan sayolisa!


	10. The hypothesis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group has poor communication skills.

When the four of them set off on foot, Arisa made sure to ask Chisato, “Where did Kanon-senpai say she and Yukina-senpai were? Are they near where we got off the buses?”

No good would come out of this if they had no idea where to even go. 

“I don't think so.” Chisato kept her eyes in front of her as they travelled on the dirt path. “But she said she didn’t know where they were, so she texted me coordinates instead.”

“That was so smart of them!” Kasumi cheered, but again, very little came out of her that wasn’t a cheer. “How did she even figure out their coordinates?”

Lisa answered in a sweet tone. “I‘m pretty sure you could just use the map app on your phone, right?”

Chisato deadpanned, “I really don’t know, and it doesn’t really concern me either.” She raised a hand above her eyes, gazing forward through the haze of the heat. “I just want to find my friend.”

“And Yukina!” Lisa added with zeal.

“Yes, her too.”

They continued walking through the mossy trails in silence, in silence except for Kasumi. She couldn’t seem to stay quiet or still. One moment she would be leading the group, and a minute later she would be slugging behind and whining like a child.

“It’s so hot…” Kasumi mustered through the heat. “I’m… I… think I’m gonna die…”

Arisa flicked her on the forehead which received her an ‘ow!’ and another whine to complement it. “Stop complaining!” Arisa shouted. “You promised you wouldn’t cause trouble, and the running commentary really isn’t helping!”

Kasumi mumbled defeatedly, “‘Kay… got it…”

But Arisa did begin to notice the growing heat. The sun was still standing tall, if not beginning to set, embedding its amber waves into Arisa’s bare skin. Time seemed to have been twisted by the heat.

“Hey, Chisato,” Lisa began as if she was reading the mood. “How long have we been walkin’ for?”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “I don’t want to use my phone for anything that is less than necessary.”

“Is your phone really gonna die on you if you check the time?”

“I’d rather be safe than sorry,” Chisato said. “Did any of you bring your phones along with you? We could check the time on one of them.”

Lisa shook her head. “Left it back at the cabin,” she said. “I thought this search and rescue would’ve taken less time if I’m gonna be honest.”

Chisato made a hum of thought before continuing. “And you, Arisa-chan?”

“I-I didn’t bring mine either,” Arisa added. Being put on the spot - by Chisato of all people - took her off guard. “I left it charging on my bed in the cabin.”

And Kasumi said as her gaze fell, “Dropped it in the bath….” When the other girls stared at her, she added a mere ‘don’t even ask’. Nobody seemed to question it otherwise, that was just typical Kasumi for them.

Chisato raised a fist to her mouth and coughed into it; despite being a regular action, it seemed almost smug coming from Chisato. “If I am the only one currently with a phone, then I will conserve my battery power.”

And nobody argued with her on that. She had them beat.

Truth be told, Chisato _was_ very polite, and it wasn’t odd considering her childhood as an actress. She was in the spotlight more than she wasn’t, so her public image always held a big priority. 

But when she spoke, she carried her words with a secret bitterness and venom that was covered up so sweetly that nobody had the courage to talk back.

It was almost like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, at least from an outsider’s perspective.

“Of course, don’t worry about it Chisato,” Lisa said resplendently. As expected, very few ever talk back to Chisato; nobody ever pressed for more details.

Arisa found it quite admirable in a weird way. The concept of controlling others so subtly was interesting to Arisa, but it made her feel anxious. She was too nice for that, she liked to think.

“This _is_ the right way, though?” Kasumi asked as she stood in place and raised her fingers to the path right in front of them. She was constantly whirring around, physically and mentally.

Chisato’s words came out with hidden venom. _“Yes, it is_.” She turned around for a moment as she flashed a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Does anyone else have a question? Does anyone else wonder if we’re on the right trail?”

Kasumi quickly backpedalled, shaking her head feverishly along with Arisa and Lisa. “Ah! Nuh-uh! Nope!” She stuttered as the herd began walking again silently. She shifted herself slightly closer to Arisa and mumbled under her breath, “Chisato-senpai can be super scary sometimes…”

Arisa didn’t desire to gain the attention of a certain blonde, so she spoke quietly and shortly. “Tell me about it.”

Then silence returned to them for the most part. Excluding the occasional comment on a pretty flower or a cute animal they passed by, they could only occasionally hear deep rustles a ways off of the trail. But the path seemed endless; it felt like Arisa had travelled the same patch of dirt path two times prior. 

She had wanted to say something, but she noticed that even Kasumi had stayed almost completely silent, bar the light humming she always seemed to do. Arisa didn’t want to lose this small moment of solace, so she remained quiet and hoped that Chisato could get them to point B in no time. The quicker they arrived the better.

But with a gust of wind, it seemed the grey that wrapped around the sky would get to them first. It was noticeably overcast now, and the weather didn’t look to be improving. Arisa stared upwards, _where did the blue sky go?_

Arisa smiled. It wasn’t one that held any resemblance of a positive feeling, it held pure irritation, the wondering of _why me?_

Lisa spoke at a moment’s notice, and she was the first to speak in a long time. She gestured up to the bleak sky. “That isn’t good… right?”

_No, no, it’s excellent! Fantastic, even! I really loved how the dark clouds blocked out the clear sky! It’s a wonderful difference, a true spectacle of something that I longed to see on this fantastic camp trip!_

Arisa thought that she was clever, even funny sometimes.

“No, it isn’t,” Chisato replied bitterly with an obvious answer. “Let’s pick up the pace.”

Arisa didn’t want to.

She _should_ have been at home taking care of her bonsai, eating junk food and _not_ studying for her upcoming math test. But that ship had sailed a long time ago, so she wasn’t going to get dragged along starting now.

Arisa chided, now fed up with the unnecessary physical exercise. After all, her body was made for the couch, not the woods. “Do you even know where you’re going? We’ve been walking for…” She paused a moment to think. “How long have we even been walking?”

Chisato sighed. She took out her phone and checked the time. “It is mid-afternoon.”

“We’ve been hiking for that long?” Lisa asked.

Chisato replied, “Seems so.”

Kasumi wiggled in place, being stationary was rare for her. “How far are they?” She paused, before whispering, “...Did they even come to the camp?”

The blonde didn’t crack. “I’m just following the coordinates, Kasumi-chan.”

“That’s not an answer!” Kasumi said back. “That’s just dodging the question!”

The air around Chisato changed with the weather; it was heavy and thick. She muttered, “We will find them when we do. _Do you have an issue with that?”_ It was stated simply and bluntly, like a mother addressing her fuming child.

“Hey, hey guys…?” Lisa said, interrupting. It was as if she was trying to approach two feral dogs in a fight. “Let’s focus on what we have to do, yeah?”

Chisato nodded, looking up to the sky, or maybe looking up to only clouds. “The weather isn’t looking great; I’d rather find them before we get soaked.”

And then Arisa felt a cold drop splash on her head.

_I shouldn’t have come on this trip._

Kasumi, unaware of the mood, twirled around as the raindrops fell one by one, growing in numbers. The forest around them felt to shine with an almost blue colour, it felt cleansing. “It’s raining!” She stomped a foot in the dark mud. “I love playing outside when it rains!”

Chisato’s face didn’t shift as she scanned the four of them for an object, something that could help them create some sort of a shield from the rain. Or maybe she’d find a miracle, she wasn’t particularly picky. Finding nothing useful, she sighed and continued walking with an indiscernible expression on her face. It was hard to make out as the evening began to roll in. The darkness made it feel almost like night.

“Where are you going, Chisato-senpai?” Arisa shouted over the rain from behind her. She was really starting to get wet now, she hated it.

Chisato stopped and turned around. She looked up once at the darkening sky, then back down to Arisa. She said, “It’s starting to get dark soon and they shouldn’t be too far away. I’ll take my chances.”

“How do you even know we’re closer to them than we were an hour ago?” It was very cold. And wet. And dark. Everything was cold, wet, dark and obvious.

“It’s either we find them, or we try to go all the way back we came,” Chisato answered. “I don’t know where they are, but they _must_ be close. It’ll take longer to walk back anyway.”

How was Chisato staying so calm?

After having stayed silent for more than a while, a wet Lisa spoke. “Eve and Himari know we should have been back by now.” She was comforting as always. “They would have told someone where we’ve gone, right?”

Chisato stared at her. “Are you certain about that?”

Lisa smiled back at her, there was no trace of malice or resentment behind it, just wetness from the rain. “Help is on the way.”

Chisato sighed, “Fine.” She turned around and pointed at a small blob running and rolling around on the ground in front of them. “Can someone wrangle up Kasumi-chan? I don’t want her to get a cold.”

Arisa volunteered with a frown. “I’ll get her…”

Lisa giggled. “Really?”

“Don’t get the wrong idea or anything!” She shouted suddenly with a flushed face. “It’s just that I was the one who suggested we let her come so... “ She turned around and made her way to her muddy friend. “It’s my responsibility.”

“Responsible as always,” Chisato teased.

Arisa ignored her. She only sighed and went to get Kasumi. She probably got herself dirty, and when Arisa got closer - shocker! - she found out she was indeed very, very muddy. She spoke from a safe distance, “You know I’m not going to let you hug me when you’re all dirty like this, right?”

Kasumi’s head perched up like a dog. She completely ignored Arisa and dove straight for her. Lisa and Chisato watched them from a safe distance, which was anywhere where they wouldn’t get splashed by mud. This was going to be very fun to watch.

Arisa screamed as Kasumi pulled her down into the mud. _“No mud in my hair! NOT in my hair!”_ She fell down into the mud with the cry of a fallen Amazon, or maybe a hard carrot. Soon though, her cries subsided. In less than a minute, Arisa - along with Kasumi - were engulfed in a fit of giggles, like children. Any half-witted threats that Arisa shouted held no weight to them, just a warm fondness.

Lisa and Chisato chuckled to themselves on the side too. It was fun to watch, but they’d rather stay _only_ wet. 

Regardless, they’d have to get moving soon. They had to get back on track and find Kanon and Yukina as soon as possible, and obviously not in the dark.

However, two lights broke through the rain, and everyone froze where they stood, some messier than others. They all stared in the same direction at the two lights as they became brighter and closer like a star. Have they finally been found?

They have.

Lisa’s face went through shock, then happiness. With a beaming smile, she lunged towards the light to the left. “Sayo! It’s you!” She squeezed her and buried her face into the crook of her shoulder, and Sayo hugged her in return. 

“Shirokane-san, Matsubara-san,” Sayo said with an unusual smile from where she stood, enveloped by Lisa. She pointed with her free hand to Arisa, Chisato, and Kasumi. Her other hand was holding an umbrella. “Please pass a blanket and umbrella to each of them, they must be cold.”

“Yes…!” Rinko said as she carefully walked over to the other three. Walking beside her with a blanket and an umbrella in hand was Kanon. She walked forward meekly like a mouse to its prey. 

Chisato stared at Kanon with a smile. It was hard to make out in the darkness. “It’s you.”

“Chisato-chan,” Kanon said as she passed a blanket to her. “I’m so, so, _so_ sorry…” Once Chisato accepted the blanket, she passed her an umbrella as well. As Chisato propped it open, she said, “I don’t even know what to say… If I hadn’t gotten lost with Yukina-chan...”

“Don’t say anything then,” Chisato said with an unusually understanding smile. “Let’s talk about this over some tea, alright?”

Kanon nodded with a quivering lip before bombarding her with more apologies. It would be a while before she’d live this down. Maybe next time she’ll finally learn how to use a map correctly, but again, nobody had high hopes for that.

-

Rinko passed a blanket to both Kasumi and Arisa, then she passed them both an umbrella. The two girls gave a thank you and an apology, an apology for making them come find them. Arisa didn’t look Rinko in the eye, embarrassed to have been found so muddy in front of an upperclassman like her. 

Rinko smiled. “Don’t worry about it…” She said, “Thankfully... Wakamiya-san and Uehara-san let us know where you guys went off to… Although it would have been nice… to have been told earlier…” She looked to the side. “The dark isn’t nice.”

Arisa stared down at the ground through soaked pig-tails. Once again she said, “I’m sorry…”

And to this, Rinko repeated, “It’s fine… really.” She giggled lightly at the end. “Let’s get you both back to camp… so you can dry off… okay?”

“Okay!” Kasumi shouted over the rain. “Hey…” She scanned over the girls and let her eyes rest on Kanon. “You guys found Kanon-senpai and Yukina-senpai on your way here?”

“They were… near the south entrance…” Rinko replied. “One of the employees at the camp… found them, thankfully…”

Arisa muttered to herself, “They’re really bad with directions, huh…”

Kasumi resumed her thought. “It’s only the three of you though…” She made a thinking noise before continuing. “Did Yukina-senpai not come with you guys?”

“She stayed... back at the main cabin…”

“She must’ve been super tired from staying out in the rain!” Kasumi said with a smile, and Rinko probably agreed because Arisa was tuning out.

The rest of the conversation began to blur, twist, and fade into white noise. She wasn’t focused on them, but two others.

Arisa watched Sayo and Lisa from where she stood. They were talking about… something… something she couldn’t make out. But she could see Sayo pass her umbrella to Lisa only to promptly tenderly wrap her up in one of the dark blue blankets she brought along with her.

Their touches lasted a very long time, Arisa didn’t find this particularly odd, though. It was just touches.

But there was something different between them, and Arisa could notice it through the dark rain. Sayo was close with almost no one, and she barely even smiled at the majority of people she normally talked to. She was cold and desolate like a winter’s garden, or maybe a dead bonsai.

Arisa thought back to what she heard Sayo mention in the student council room that one day.

_Romance._

_But that can’t be it. At least I don’t think...?_

Thinking it over, Arisa was now _sure_ something new was brewing, which was aided by Sayo and Lisa’s lingering embraces and expressions of… _adoration._ She was very sure that it was adoration, not the usual sign of care you give to a friend; compared to this, there was _definitely_ a difference - and even though it may have been a long shot, Arisa had a guess, a hypothesis in mind.

She had never expected Sayo to be one for romance, but anyone _was_ capable of anything, even the less socially inclined. First though, Arisa had to get clean and dry, for her, anything else could wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im back! i hope i didn't mess up chisato's character too too much... but i have faith in myself! next time we will be returning to a bit more to lisa and sayo too,,, but anyways, i hope you enjoyed and any interaction is always appreciated! sayolisa jesus, signing out!


	11. The bite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kasumi is not great at discerning bug bites from things that are not actually bug bites.

When the group—sans Sayo and Lisa—arrived back to their cabin wrapped in crisp blankets and savoury pajamas, the three girls who had stayed behind were getting ready for bed, it seemed. The lamp next to Himari’s bed was turned off, and the girl was underneath her blanket with a hot pink sleep mask on. She was so still that Arisa thought she was dead, but it seemed obvious that she didn’t want to be disturbed.

There were also echoing sounds of faucets and chatter coming from the side washroom, but it stopped after only a moment. A feminine voice rang out, “I think I heard footsteps…” and Eve—well, Eve with a minty face mask—peered her head around the corner.

A small smile could be seen on her face. If she didn’t have to worry about cracking her face mask, it would have definitely been larger and wider. She did a small skip to the group. “You’re back! You’ve been go so long!”

Kasumi opened her mouth to speak, but Arisa interjected and made a sly comment with a sinister grin instead. “ _Really?_ It only feels like we’ve been gone for a second! _Actually,_ it feels like we almost never even left!”

Eve’s face fell in a mix of confusion and doubt. She pursed her lips together and did a mental calculation. A bit slow, she was. “That is…” She paused for a moment before her face lit in realization. “Sarcasm! It’s sarcasm, right?!”

Kasumi nodded in agreement. “Yep, definitely! I remember learning about this at school! It’s a funky word term, hehe…”

“Nice to know you were paying attention Kasumi-chan,” Kanon mumbled as she began setting out her things. It was harmless sarcasm, but Arisa found it more than humourous, especially from the typically frail Kanon. She thought she might have heard Chisato - who was now setting out her things as well - lightly chuckle too.

Eve made a frown as she surveyed the girls. She asked, “Where is Lisa-san? Did she not return with you all?”

“Nuh-uh,” Kasumi said, shaking her head. “She went off somewhere with Sayo-senpai. They were acting super duper weird about it, blushing and stuff.” She coughed. “Well, that was probably just Sayo-senpai. Lisa was pretty chill as usual!”

Eve clasped her hands together with a small gasp. “Ah! I see! I know what is happening here _perfectly!_ ” There were practically stars in her eyes.

Arisa stared at her dead on. “You do?” _Literally, all she knows is that they went off somewhere; there’s no way she could actually know what was going on. It’s really impossible._

Eve didn’t stutter when she replied like it was her birthright. “This is what we call _a rendezvous!_ ”

  
  
  
  
...  
  


_Huh?_

Arisa stared at her with confusion and shock mixed on her face. Her mouth was unknowingly agape and she honestly had no words that could surmise what emotion she was feeling at that moment.

Eve was... semi-right? _Yeah, she’s on the right track… I think? Does she even know what a rendezvous is? Still, her intuition is almost creepy._

“Ooh!” Kasumi wondered with enthusiasm before she slowed down, “Whatza rain… day… view…?”

“Rendezvous!”

“Yes, that!” Kasumi shouted affirmingly.

In response, Eve quickly fetched a book from her bedside drawer, she had already made herself quite at home in the cabin. She flipped through the pages with a flash before she stopped as quickly as she began. She explained, holding the page up at Kasumi and Arisa, “I have studied many things about Japanese culture so that when I moved here, I would adapt better!”

 _That makes sense so far… I think._ She squinted as she read the small words on the lined pages. Looking back on it, this was from Eve, so that was unlikely.

“I committed this term to memory!” Eve said proudly. She recited, without looking at the page:

_“Rendezvous: a meeting planned at a certain time and place, it can also be a secret meeting between lovers.”_

Arisa stared at Eve some more with an incredulous glare. _How the hell is that related to Japanese culture; do your research!_ Kasumi, however, seemed amazed, unaware of the velvet insinuation.

“So they’re just meeting up to talk?” Kasumi asked. “I dunno why Sayo was such a stuttering mess when she asked Lisa to go with her somewhere…”

Arisa stared at Kasumi now, to be fair, she was staring at _everyone_ today as words seemed to be failing her more often than not. _Are you really that dense? There’s literally no way._

“Not quite!” Eve said. “They could be… Hm, how do I put this into digestible terms for _you_...”

_Don’t you dare say it._

“Indulging!” Eve shouted as if a light-bulb lit up over her head. “They could be indulging in a _fiery-_ “

“Shhhh!” Arisa hushed, waving her hands around. Eve stared back at her for a moment, and Arisa tilted her head towards Kanon and Chisato, who were already tucked in bed, trying to sleep.

The model’s face lit up. “Ah! Sorry! I will be more quiet!”

“Just be more careful…” Arisa said. “And honestly, “fiery” is the best word you could have come up with?!”

“I saw a samurai in a movie use that word to describe his love to his passionate-”

“Shush!” Arisa interrupted, shouting at a mere half-whisper. “Even if there was something going on between them, it’s none of our business!”

_Looking back on it, it didn’t take me that long to figure it out, but again I’m pretty smart. Eve though - she figures it all out in a matter of minutes?!_

_Still._

_She doesn’t know that she’s right yet, and she won’t. I’m not going to do that to ‘them’. As for as they know, I don't know, and it will stay that way._

The idea of _something_ happening between Lisa and Sayo didn’t really bother Arisa - two girls or not, it was just a relationship - interestingly though, the thought of two people so opposite in many ways coming together in just as many more… It was intriguing, like watching a chemical reaction experiment unfold in real time, and _again_ , Arisa certainly wasn’t going to potentially _out_ someone like that.

She may have had a sharp tongue, and an even sharper wit, but she had morals. Gold star for Arisa!

But, they were soon reminded that they weren’t the only ones in the room, not to mention the only ones awake.

Suddenly, like a ghost, Yukina stepped out of the side-washroom and walked delicately to her bed. She made no eye contact with anyone, and she didn’t say a word. She simply pulled her bed sheets open and laid in, leaving the three to stare at her like they just saw a spirit.

They hadn’t revealed anything accidentally, had they?

Eve whispered, asking the obvious, “Do you think she heard us?”

“I dunno, just- just try and be more careful from now on…” Arisa replied quietly too.

“She’s, like, best friends with Lisa-san, right?” Kasumi asked. To this, Arisa and Eve nodded, and to that, Kasumi tacked on, “ _Oh no_.”

“Well, even if she heard us, it’s not like she would automatically go and tell Lisa-san… right?” Eve wondered as she placed her book back in her bedside drawer.

“Regardless of if she heard us or not,” Arisa stated, “it’s not even been confirmed that Lisa-san and Sayo-senpai are off… together, so it’s just a rumour for all we know.” For all _they_ know _._ “Jeez, it’s too late for all this gossip.” With a yawn, she ended up crawling under her bed sheets and shimmying herself in deep within the covers, turning away from the two girls. “Let’s talk about what our senpais may or may not be doing _tomorrow_ , ‘kay? It’s been a long day.”

Kasumi and Eve stared at her despondently before pouting. They both said nothing, and instead rushed off to the bathroom to do who knows what; Arisa heard an echo of Eve say something about a mud mask, but that was all. Whatever they did, it wasn’t loud because Arisa slept without a stir. She’d have to thank Kasumi tomorrow for staying quiet, namely for her sake. Now, only nothing was on her mind, nothing until she woke again.

-

“So Sayo, is going on a walk through the forest in the middle of night a regular thing you do with everyone you date?” Lisa asked. They had been walking for a fair while and Lisa was beginning to wish she wore running shoes instead of her less than practical leather boots. 

Sayo was tugging Lisa along by her hand. She didn’t look back to her when she responded. “This is my first time doing this sort of thing with…” She paused for a moment, “my girlfriend.”

Lisa sighed over-dramatically. She chuckled a bit as she almost tripped over a tree root. “Be careful! It’s really dark!” 

“Of course, Imai-san.”

But before too long, Lisa found themselves slowing down as they arrived at a clearing in the forest. She heard Sayo mumble, “I think we’re far away enough…”

“Hey, Sayo,” Lisa asked, “this isn’t some sort of murder plan, right? Taking me out in the middle of the forest in the middle of the night where nobody can see us...” She raised a hand to her head, pretending she was fainting, “ _Oh~_ How dare my heart get taken advantage of!”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Sayo said, surprisingly serious. “I just…” She stared at the green leaves adorning the edges of the dirt, “I _really_ didn’t want to risk anyone finding us together, not right now. So that’s why I took us out this far.”

Lisa smiled. “That’s totally understandable Sayo. Whatever you’re comfortable with, I’m comfortable with.”

To that, Sayo smiled. She smiled with one of those looks of pure adoration that almost knocked Lisa down where she stood. “I appreciate that more than I could ever say. Thank you, Imai-san.”

Lisa tilted her head before commenting. “You can call me by my first name if you wanna… I call you Sayo all the time, and we’re kind of an item, so…” She noticed Sayo’s expression still for a moment, so she quickly recovered. “But if you don’t want to, it’s completely fine! Like I said, whatever you’re comfortable with!”

Sayo spoke with hesitance. “It’s okay…” She mumbled the last part in a quiet, high-pitched voice as if it was a question, “ _Lisa_ …?”

Lisa squealed. “Oh my gosh, you said it! You really said it!” She muttered to herself, “I almost didn’t think you _would_.”

Sayo looked at her with a new timid side. “I suppose I _did_ really say it, _Lisa_.” Lisa loved the way her name rolled off her tongue.

“Say it again for me.”

Sayo deadpanned at her, unsure. She spoke with slight hesitation, “Lisa…?”

“Mhm, yep, one hundred percent…” Lisa said, nodding her head.

“What are you so sure of?”

Lisa shot finger guns at Sayo. She winked and stuck her tongue out playfully. “That my name sounds ten times better when you say it with your super cute voice~.”

Lisa wanted to have fun with this.

Sayo tensed with a flustered expression. “All- All I did was say your name like anyone else would, I did nothing to receive such praise,” Sayo said. Still, it was easy to see by her rapid blush that she _really_ enjoyed such praise.

“You’re adorable, y’know?” Lisa clasped her hands around a frozen Sayo’s. “And you’ve changed so much too!” She made sure to specify: “You’ve changed so much in a good way, a _really_ good way. It’s just amazing!”

“A really good way?” Sayo asked quietly. She looked insecure. Lisa leaned her head closer to Sayo’s, closer to what made her head spin.

“You’ve opened up _so so so_ much, don’t you know?” Lisa began speaking, gradually going soft, reminiscing. “You seem warmer. And although our relationship is still pretty new, you’ve been more physical with me, more touchy… You've been more gentle with Ako and Rinko too, and…” She paused for a moment. She giggled a bit. “And you talked to Yukina like you were equals, which _I_ barely have the guts to do sometimes. Like, you knew what you said mattered and that you should stand up for yourself. And…”

“And?” 

Forehead to forehead. “I just… think you’re kind of amazing.”

“Kind of amazing?” Sayo repeated with soft laughter.

“Absolutely Amazing.” Lisa corrected. They were eye to eye, face to face, almost mouth to mouth. Warm. It wasn’t the summer heat. It was her breath. Sayo’s breathing baited between silence and the whiff of the crickets chirping hymns she’d never know. It was hypnotizing.

Sayo’s eyes were emeralds. They were jewels of earth and sparkled as if Sayo stole every star in the sky above them. They were warm, lucid pools of everything Lisa wanted to be a part of at that very moment, churning and constantly moving.

They were pools.

So Lisa dipped in.

-

When Lisa snuck back into her cabin it was probably early morning, she couldn’t tell. She creaked the rusty door open, carefully stepped over everyone’s shoes, and rolled into a vacant bed. 

Lisa could barely make out Yukina sleeping through the darkness, and she had a lot that she wanted to say.

_I’m sorry for fighting with you. In front of everyone that time before. I should’ve handled it better. It was immature of me._

Despite this, she knew that Yukina had apologizing to do from her end too; despite this, she knew that they’d both eventually admit their wrongs and make amends. They’ve been inseparable forever, best friends since they were toddlers. This wouldn’t stunt them for too long.

As she rolled into bed, she wished she changed into her pajamas before she left with Sayo, now she’d have to sleep in her regular clothes.

Still, there was a heaviness in her mind, and she found her eyes growing heavy in the moonlight. She dotted her tongue over her bottom lip. It was sore.

She smiled as her mind went blank. 

-

When eating breakfast at the mess hall the next morning, Arisa opened her notebook and quickly jotted down:

**Hanasakigawa & Haneoka Retreat: Day 2**

A new day called for a new entry.

But she almost made a huge scribble when Kasumi knocked into her back, a tray of food in hand. Arisa turned around with a reprimand on the edge of her tongue but Kasumi shoved a spoonful of egg into her mouth instead.

“Mrphf!” Arisa sputtered out. She began to yell more unintelligible, half-hearted insults before she began to give more attention to the taste of the fluffy food in her mouth. _This is actually… good. Really good._

Arisa swallowed. “I’m not even going to _begin_ on how you almost made me mess up while I was writing - pen is permanent, you know!”

“But the egg was good?” Kasumi asked, not commenting on her potential error.

“I-“ Arisa started before pausing, “ _Yes_ , it was good.” Kasumi stared at her silently, a small nod to keep talking. Arisa asked, “Who made it?”

“A certain beautiful, sparkling, intelligent brunette!” Kasumi’s eyes sparkled with an emotion Arisa couldn’t quite decipher.

“Lisa-san made it?”

“No, you silly!” Kasumi shouted with a frown, creasing her forehead. “ _I_ made it.”

“Is that so?” Arisa asked skeptically. She questioned, “When have I ever even saw you turn on a stove?”

“You haven’t! I do it whenever you’re not at my house, obviously!” Kasumi replied like the answer was perfectly timed. “Besides, even though Lisa-san was in the kitchen with me doesn’t automatically mean that she had a part in making it! This was a complete Toyama operation, through and through!”

Arisa spoke under her breath, listing off thoughts out loud, “I know that she had volunteered to help with cooking the big meals at camp - student council lets me know these things - and Lisa’s a really good chef, too...” Arisa looked Kasumi up and down. “But _you?_ It doesn’t make sense.”

“Is it really out of character of me to _cook?”_

“Yes,” Arisa responded without missing a beat.

“C’mon, I really needed the extra volunteer hours...” Kasumi whined. She pleaded, “That kind of stuff looks good on college applications, right?”

“I guess,” Arisa replied, barely soothing her. “But since when have you ever worried about what you’ll do after high school? The only time I’ve ever seen you remotely negative was when Saaya forgot to bring extra melon bread for you that day at lunch...”

Kasumi toyed with her remaining egg with her fork. “It’s just that I always see second and third years being serious about their future; they want to have a solid living and stuff, y’know?”

Arisa was quiet. It was strange for Kasumi to actually act mature for her age, especially when it came to school. Could she have been underestimating her? “I’m following, I think,” she said.

“Well, I just wanted to make sure I start helping around earlier than later, see?” Kasumi grinned. “It’s not super deep, and I know I’m not normally super serious about this kind of thing, but it feels good to be responsible for once!”

“EH?!” Arisa shouted as she shook her friend back and forth, “Where did the old Kasumi go?! The old Kasumi never got serious about her future like this!” She paused before she muttered with a sly smile, “ _I’m joking, by the way._ ”

“I know it’s weird, hehe~.” Kasumi giggled. “But we all have to take responsibility at one point, yeah?”

“ _Jeeeeeeeez,_ it’s not even noon and here you are, talking about _responsibility_.” Arisa yawned. “ _Anyways,_ you could teach me whatever you did to that egg sometime, yeah?”

“Ooh, Arisa’s never asked to learn something from me before!” 

Before Arisa could respond with a snarky comeback, a voice chirped from behind them. “Ooh, Kasumi! Can I try some?” A finger was pointed at Kasumi’s plate. “I saw you cooking it up before and I never got the chance to try it~.”

“Ooh, of course! Take a seat across from Arisa!” Kasumi said motioning to the other side of the table. 

When she travelled around to the other side and took her seat, her manicured fingers spiked some egg on to a fork before putting it in her mouth. She made sure to be careful to not mess up her cherry lip-gloss. Lisa had to maintain her appearance after all.

“Mmm! This is really good, Kasumi!” Lisa complimented with a smile. “I never knew you could cook!”

Kasumi giggled sadly. “Well, that’s pretty much one of the only things I can cook well…”

Lisa frowned for a moment before poking Kasumi’s cheek. “C’mon, don’t be like that! You’ll only improve through practice!”

“I guess so…” Kasumi said. Her expression lifted. “Arisa wanted to learn how to make it too!”

Arisa sputtered as a blush rose on her face. “I- No, I didn’t-“ She buried her face in her hands. “Let’s just change the subject, okay?”

“You’re always so quick to get embarrassed, Arisa~,” Lisa purred before wiping her forehead with the back of her hand and breathed out a ‘phew’. “Still, I’ve gotta admit, I didn’t expect it to be so hot…” She fanned the hem of her shirt. “The heat attracts so many bugs…”

“I know, right!” Kasumi added in agreement. “My little sis made sure I brought a ton of bug spray~.”

“You have a younger sister?” Lisa asked, interested enough.

“Yep! And I...” Kasumi trailed off as her eyes scanned Lisa’s skin. “ _Wooaahhh~_ You got bit really bad, didn’t you?”

Lisa started looking over her arms. “By a bug? Where?”

“Nuh **-** uh, not there,” Kasumi said as she shook her head. She pointed, “That big one on your neck, right beside your Lisa’s apple!”

Arisa admonished, “It’s just called an Adam’s apple, it doesn’t have a unique name for each person…” Her eyes still went to where Kasumi was pointing. “Wait a minute…”

“I don’t remember getting…” Lisa said as she felt along her neck. Unsatisfied, she pulled out a small makeup mirror and looked at her reflection. Her face was concentrated for a moment before widening in shock, and then embarrassment.

Arisa stared at Lisa dead on, and she received a dead stare right back. In a moment’s notice, Lisa tried to play it off with a giggle. “Awww, I shouldn’t have been slacking off with the bug spray~. Thanks for letting me know, Kasumi!”

Kasumi shook her head with a hollow aura of superiority. “Never ever forget bug spray, rookie mistake.” 

Arisa stayed silent, hoping that her lack of a contribution to the discussion would rush the conversation along. It seemed that Lisa had no plans on pleading any sort of lie to Arisa. Seemingly so, the three of them sat there silently, and everyone but Kasumi could feel the staleness between them. With a small cough, Lisa began, “Anyways, I think I should really get going...!”

_Thank god._

“Aw.” Kasumi made a whining noise, frowning. “We’ll see you at the bonfire tonight then, right?”

“Of course!” Lisa said, smiling normally again. She turned to leave, but said one last thing. She kept a warm smile the whole time, which almost made her sound intimidating. “Hey, Arisa? Let’s keep this between us, yeah?”

“I’ll never tell a soul.”

Honestly, she’d forget about it if she could.

“Great!” Lisa then left with a wave, leaving the two girls alone once again.

Arisa went back to finishing off her food before Kasumi poked her shoulder. She whispered, “Psshhhh, Arisa…” Arisa turned her gaze to her while chewing on her breakfast. She raised her eyebrows to signal a ‘what?’

Kasumi asked, “What did Lisa-san mean when she asked you to keep something between the two of you?”

Arisa swallowed. “Nothing you need to know.”

“Aw, come on! Just tell me!”

“Not til the day I die.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we were robbed of dreamfest lisa. we live to suffer.
> 
> anyways, its nice to update, hehe. i promise i will update more often, expect another in about a week perhaps!
> 
> also i have a tsugusayo hospital au (angsty) which will come out sometime.. in this timeline.
> 
> hope you enjoyed and your comments make my day! (and if for some reason i accidentally created an inconsistency in the story, lemme know so i can fix it please!)


	12. The bonfire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kasumi is surprisingly perceptive.

That night, at the bonfire, the Hanasakigawa student council was tasked with passing out sparklers to every girl who wanted one. Meanwhile, the Haneoka student council had to set up the entire bonfire in the first place, so Arisa counted her blessings. She was a bit too delicate for heavy woodwork, she’d like to say.

But looking back on it, Arisa probably should have denied Kasumi’s offer for help.

Arisa felt a vein bulge in her forehead as she saw Kasumi fumble from group to group in the twilight, sparklers falling out like jewelled candy. Nobody seemed particularly irked by Kasumi’s clumsiness, but Arisa could feel the stink-eye from Sayo a mile away.

Arisa took the initiative to stop Kasumi’s poor display. She picked up, or rather stole, the pile of sparklers from Kasumi’s hands to the girl’s dismay. “Jeez,” Arisa groaned. “You really should’ve just kept them in the box they came in.”

Kasumi shook her head. “Too slow! If I used the box then I wouldn’t finish handing ‘em out in time before Hina-san lit up the bonfire!” 

As if to accentuate her point, she pointed to Hina, who was doing _something_ to the large teepee in the middle of the clearing. Students from both schools sat on the logs that were circling the teepee like an audience.

Arisa noticed Sayo standing aside, now watching Hina working hard for fire. Her sister looked oddly impressed, as if creating a roaring bonfire was a Hikawa family rite of passage. 

Still, Arisa opted for taking the easy way out. Instead of passing out the sparklers as she was meant to, she instead muddled her way up to Hina at the teepee.

She’d soon find out that Hina was thankfully an adept talker and able to keep the conversation going with almost no difficulty.

“Hey, Arisa-chan!” Hina called as she noticed her getting closer. She looked down at her arms. “Ooh, whatcha got there?”

Arisa plastered a smile on her face. “Sparklers,” she said simply. Hina stared at her with the same smile, unintentionally unnerving, so she continued talking. “We have way too many of them, I think Rinko-senpai might’ve ordered too many. She was always poor with numbers, you know?”

Hina looked at her with squinting eyes, calculating and discerning any sign of information. She settled for a “Mhm!” before asking: “Didja need me for something?”

“Well, actually…” Arisa said, “I was thinking you could maybe use the extra sparklers as fuel, if it’s possible?”

“Hm, I see, I see…” Hina mused as she scanned over the contents in Arisa’s arms. Her face went serious for only a moment before the regular cheery smile came back. “Sure thing!” She winked as she took the rest of the sparklers. “I’ll try and use’em! Thanks for thinking about the rest of us as always, Arisa-chan!” ~~  
~~

“Oh, uh- um…” Arisa giggled to herself nervously. “Don’t worry about it, just doing my part…”

“Hm, hrm, hum…” Hina hummed a bit, as if confirming what she said. “Uh, _jeez_ ,” she exhaled suddenly. “I can’t take it anymore!” She shouted. “We just _have to_ discuss your entourage behind you right now! She’s looming over you like an eagle or a ninja!”

Arisa furrowed a brow. _Entourage?_ She turned around to check what Hina meant, but she barely got far before nearly bumping into Kasumi behind her. Arisa stumbled back for a moment, struggling to regain her footing.

“What the hell were you doing peering over me, you weirdo!” Arisa yelled as she got up from the ground. “You need to tell me when you’re nearby, you nearly gave me a heart attack!”

Kasumi gave her a serious look before huffing and strutting away without a word. Arisa stared at her with exasperation, and Hina’s gaze shifted between Arisa and Kasumi before she shrugged and carried on with making fire.

Arisa managed to find Kasumi easily, standing in line at the barbecue, getting hammered by a trail of smoke. She almost laughed, but instead settled for hopping in line right behind her.

Arisa poked her shoulder. “Kasumi, what was up with before?”

She didn’t turn around.

So, she poked Kasumi again.

To a lack of avail, Arisa gave her a slight (heavy) nudge on her shoulder. “Kasumi,” she said, “is something wrong?”

Kasumi turned to her finally, but she looked amiss; it was new. “Arisa?” Kasumi asked with a groundedness that Arisa was unfamiliar with. When Arisa nodded to her name, she quietly said, under the laughter of her peers and the sparkling meat on the barbecue, “Are they... dating? Like, holding hands, Eve-chan’s type of rendezvous - dating?”

“Who?” Arisa replied in question. 

_Where was this coming from?_

Instead of replying - probably to not risk being overheard - she pointed over to where Sayo stood that time ago. She hadn’t moved, but Lisa was standing next to her now too. They seemed to be in a vibrant conversation, not to mention, they seemed to have now been found out by one of the people Arisa didn’t expect to.

(Lisa’s bite from earlier hit differently now, seeing her and Sayo together.)

To affirm her assumption, Arisa mouthed, ‘Sayo-senpai and Lisa-san?’ Kasumi nodded in return, surprisingly mature about this whole ordeal.

But Arisa felt a stall in her train of thought; she didn’t know how to reply. She could probably easily lie and move on, and even though Kasumi might be satisfied for the time being, she’ll grow sceptical in not too long. 

She also didn’t want to lie to _Kasumi_ of all people. It didn’t sit right with her.

However, it _definitely_ didn’t sit right even more to reveal a secret relationship to Kasumi either. 

Or - the third option - she could evade the question entirely by asking a question in return: return to sender.

“Really?” Arisa replied with slight sass. “How would _I_ know? I might be kind of close to Lisa-san, but she’d never reveal anything like that to me.”

It wasn’t unreasonable, no? Hopefully Kasumi would buy it.

But she pressed on. Kasumi added as she changed topics, “That wasn’t a bug bite earlier either, right? I didn’t recognize it at first, but...” She didn’t seem particularly sad or angry or expressing any strong emotion. It was as if she was reciting points she had rehearsed in her head moments prior; she was focused.

Arisa realized at that moment that she had underestimated Kasumi. She was almost surprised that she could even recognize a hickey. Still, she was a teenager, and it wasn’t surprising for her to know that. It shouldn’t be.

Arisa coughed before she continued. “When _she_ came over at breakfast?” She asked for confirmation, still not saying names.

Kasumi didn’t answer her, instead moving forward in her own train of thought. She said to herself, “They went off together that night too, that one when we came back from that long trip…”

Arisa placed both of her hands on Kasumi’s shoulders, as if she was grounding her. “Kasumi,” she began, keeping eye contact, “You sound confused, so let’s get some food and eat up, okay?” She smirked a bit. “I know that a full stomach always helps your mood.”

Kasumi’s eyes seemed sad, but she fought a growing smile. “We can get a ton of meat?”

“All the meat in the world,” Arisa replied coolly.

“ _Then_ you’ll explain to me what’s going on between those two? Right?”

Arisa looked at Kasumi, noticing how a ray of the setting sun lit up a bar across her forehead. She already told Kasumi that she had no way of knowing, but she gave in, answering, “Maybe. I’ll decide after we eat.”

She’ll figure it out, what to say, after.

And to that, Kasumi nodded eagerly. She then happily stepped forward, shoved a mountain of meat onto a plate, then shoved said mountain of meat into her mouth. Hopefully, Arisa dreamed, she might share.

-

They found themselves sitting on the lakeshore as Kasumi shoveled barbecue into her mouth, barely having the breath to form words. Arisa watched her with a despondent expression, opting to just try and pick off the occasional piece of meat with her fingers. She was cautious when she went to grab a piece, not wanting to lose her hand; Kasumi was almost ravenous.

But even though she’d never admit it, Arisa didn’t really mind. She wouldn’t have Kasumi act any other way.

Still, it was beginning to get difficult to even see Kasumi’s far as the sun fell farther and farther away in the horizon line. 

Suffice to say, it was getting very, very dark.

Arisa acted quickly enough, standing up, brushing the same off of her legs. “Kasumi,” she said to get her attention, “It’s time to head back to camp.”

Kasumi looked up to her as she rushed her chewing. She swallowed, and then responded with a gasp of fresh air. “Not yet!” She demanded.

Arisa could guess why.

“You still need to tell me what’s going on between…” Kasumi’s voice gradually quieted down into a whisper. She briefly looked around for people before she added, “ _The duo._ ”

“ _Jeez_ ,” Arisa groaned as she sat back down. She felt the sand reattach itself to her. “You can’t just address them with their real names like a regular person, huh?”

“We’ve gotta keep it confidential!” Kasumi replied. She briefly added, “If there’s anything we _need_ to keep confidential in the first place, obviously.”

Arisa looked at her with a moment of despondency before she said, “It’s not my place to say anything.”

Kasumi gasped, “So there _is_ something going on between them!”

Arisa gulped, feeling hesitant. She looked over Kasumi, who looked back at her with apt fascination and excitement. She looked confident in her conclusion, almost too confident.

And Arisa didn’t want to lie to her. It would sit wrong with her.

But letting people know about a secret like that, that would sit with her worse.

But before Arisa could confirm or deny, a chipper voice barked from behind them.

Hagumi stood at the edge where the grass met the sand. She cupped her hands around her mouth as she shouted, “HEY! Kaa-kun! Aa-chan! Everyone’s gathering around the bonfire now so get over’ere!”

Arisa barked back, “ _Okayokayokay,_ we’ll be right there!” She didn’t necessarily sound rude when she said it, only perhaps a tad bit annoyed.

Still, Hagumi didn’t acknowledge it as such, she merely flashed them a thumbs up and a toothy grin before she rushed back to the others.

Arisa then got up for the second time, brushing the sand off her legs for hopefully the last time. She reached her hand down to Kasumi. “C’mon, let’s head back.”

And to her surprise, Kasumi didn’t press her any further on the matter. She just began making her way back, and for a moment, she turned to Arisa.

“I’ll figure it out on my own then,” she said.

Arisa just watched as Kasumi continued her way back at a leisurely place, letting the dying sun behind her paint her pink before following too.

-

By the time Arisa and Kasumi got back to the bonfire, it was roaring as a full, fiery tempest. It lit up the immediate arena in an amber glow with Hina and Sayo standing in front of the lit teepee.

They walked over to them, and when they arrived, Kasumi exclaimed, suddenly jubilant, “Wowie! Hina-san, didja light up the whole bonfire by yourself?!”

Hina nodded with a snicker. “You betcha!”

Arisa found this oddly interesting. She asked, “Where did you even learn to light up a huge bonfire like this?” ~~  
~~

Her answer came back like a boomerang. With the same smile as always, Hina replied, “No clue!”

“Don’t ask me where she learnt to do that,” Sayo warned. “It’s almost mildly concerning.”

“Well, you just gotta put your mind to it, and it’ll become possible, right?” Kasumi shouted.

Hina nodded. “Ooh, that sounds like a boppin’ phrase! That’s so cool of you Kasumi-chan!”

“Ooh…!” Kasumi’s eyes sparkled for a moment, Arisa thought. She then began rambling off about who knows what; it went by so fast that it gradually became white noise in then hazy air.

It didn’t help that Hina is far from a slow speaker as well. The end result of this exchange was a ramble-off: fast, passionate talker against an even faster, even more passionate talker.

Thankfully, someone else came over, which took Arisa’s mind off of the rapid discussion next to her as they broke off into their own group of three.

Lisa steadied herself right between Arisa and Sayo.

And to this, Arisa almost had to fight a smirk for a moment. She knows she shouldn’t feel this sort of satisfied smugness, but it was hard to swallow.

“Sayo, Arisa,” Lisa said as she took a deep breath, acknowledging their presence. “How’s the retreat been so far for you two?”

The two of them both replied with their own versions of ‘good’ and ‘it’s been alright’. Arisa asked back, “And how about you?”

“It’s been good, totally good!” Lisa replied as she gave them both a wink. A mosquito landed on her arm, which she promptly smacked with her hand. “The bugs have been pretty ferocious though…”

Sayo sighed before she began rattling off advice. “Li-“ She quickly recovered without missing a single beat, “Imai-san, I told you multiple times to bring bug spray on the trip. How did you forget?”

Lisa giggled. She replied sweetly, “To be honest, I don’t mind the bites. I wouldn’t mind a few more, actually~.”

“I-“ Sayo started before she began turning red. It was almost unbecoming of her. “Um- I uh- alright then I-Imai-san…”

And it was at this moment that Arisa knew she was third wheeling.

“Are you feeling alright Sayo-senpai?” Arisa asked, feigning innocence. “You seem to be getting flushed.”

Sayo diverted her eyes. “No, I am q-quite fine, actually.” She took a deep breath. “It’s just a bit hot out here.”

Hot out here when the sun is nowhere to be seen.

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Lisa purred. “If you want, I’ll take you back to my cabin. I can help cool you down.~”

This time both Arisa and Sayo stared at Lisa with wide eyes. That definitely could have been taken at face value, but that could also have definitely been taken _another way too._

_Is this meant to be flirting?_

But again, seeing the typically muted Sayo tremble like this was an unusual display.

Sayo tried to mutter out a response. “I- t-think I’m feeling better...!”

“Aw, lemme check,” Lisa said as she raised her hand up the round of Sayo’s face up to her forehead. “I really don’t think you are!” She teased. “You’re burning up!”

Seeing Sayo like this, Arisa wouldn’t have trouble believing it. But she was beginning to feel like a complete third wheel at this point; she felt completely out of place. 

“I… um…” Sayo fumbled. “It’s just that…”

“Mhm?”

“Actually...”

Lisa stared at her.

Sayo’s face then shifted to more of a confused expression. “Ichigaya-san left.”

“What?” Lisa questioned as she turned around to look where she went. “Where did she-“

Arisa had jumped ship, but to which one, they couldn’t tell. She was nowhere to be seen. Being the introvert she was, she was an expert of ditching conversations without so little as a goodbye.

She’d apologize to them for ditching another time.

“She’s surprisingly nimble…” Lisa said. She shrugged it off before she turned back to Sayo. “But, uh, Sayo…” She trailed off.

“Yes, Lisa?”

She asked, “Did I go a bit too far… before? It was all just in good fun, but I wanna make sure I didn’t make you uncomfortable.”

“Oh…! Um. Not exactly.” Sayo murmured.

“Not… exactly?” Lisa repeated, stunned.

“It’s… not bad…” Sayo said, fumbling with her fingers. “I don’t mind it, quite the opposite, really…”

Lisa chuckled a bit. “Is that so?”

Sayo crossed her arms. “Just not in front of others, okay?”

“Like before with Arisa?”

She nodded.

“You got it!” Lisa winked and flashed an ‘ok’ sign. “I’ll make sure to save the banter for when I can give you my full attention~.”

“You’re going to be the death of me.” Sayo let out a small laugh.

“Yeah, but you like it~.”

Sayo just chuckled instead, gaining some of her former confidence. “You’re funny.”

Lisa giggled as a light blush coated her cheeks. Contrary to her girlfriend, it’s the smaller compliments that make her head spin. “I’m glad~.”

And they stood there for only a moment before Lisa spoke again. “Sayo?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t panic, okay?”

Sayo stared at her down, surprised by the sudden topic change. _“You butter me up with all of your words just to tell me to ‘not panic’?”_

“It’s just… well, it’s not even a big deal anyways, but…”

Sayo wringed out her words. “ _Yes?_ ”

“I think Arisa’s catching on.”

And Sayo stood completely still, expression neutral. “Catching. On?” There was no layer of panic or wellbeing, just raw words.

Lisa muttered a small ‘yeah’ as she bounced on her heels, staring down at the ground.

“How so?” She asked.

To this, Lisa brushed back some of her hair to show the hickey on her neck. She covered it up quickly though, concealing it from public view. “You… went a bit crazy that night, hehe...”

Sayo recognized that. She remembered the events that lead up to it all too well. “That’s…”

“Yep.”

Sayo inferred, “So she saw it?”

“At breakfast earlier,” Lisa answered. She continued on, “But she promised not to tell anyone I had it! And for all she knows, I could’ve just had a bit of fun with a guy from another school!”

“And you’d be alright with a rumour like that circulating about you?” Sayo answered sternly in a typical Sayo fashion. “You don’t have to put yourself through that.”

“That’s only _if_ she tells anyone else about the hickey,” Lisa explained. “But even then, it won’t be anything I’ve never dealt with before.”

Sayo frowned. “Lisa.”

She then smiled again like a cat, changing the subject. “I’m gonna go get some marshmallows from the dining hall to make s’mores, okay? Come with me.”

“That’s sudden.”

Lisa just pressed further with puppy eyes. “Please?”

And when she asked like that, Sayo was in no place to refuse. “Let’s just not get side tracked, okay?”

”No promises~.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not me making Kasumi reasonable *runs*
> 
> anyways, please consider leaving a comment and have a nice day!


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